The education crisis is the greatest challenge facing South Africa, newly elected Democratic Alliance Leader Helen Zille said on Sunday.
In her first speech as party leader to delegates at the DA Federal Congress in Midrand, Zille outlined what she saw as the greatest challenges in the country.
Speaking in English, Afrikaans and Xhosa, she told delegates that the fight against crime was the first priority but also highlighted the HIV/Aids pandemic and education as some of the priorities she would be focusing on.
”We must lead the way with practical strategies for the fight against crime, we must wipe out corruption in the police, have the right people in the right positions and invest in technology, training and equipment,” she said.
On education, Zille said it was important for the country to get the basics right.
”We must strengthen the link between effort, resolve and reward,” she said.
Zille was overwhelmingly elected as party leader by winning 786 votes to the 228 of her nearest rival, DA Eastern Cape leader Athol Trollip. DA federal chairperson Joe Seremane, the third candidate, secured only 65 ballots. Both congratulated Zille afterwards, saying they would stay committed to the party.
Zille said she would stay on as the mayor of Cape Town and would be the leader of the DA while leaving the DA caucus to choose a leader for the party in Parliament.
She said the DA needed to show South Africa that it is truly a party for all South Africa’s people.
”We must create an opportunity for new leaders to emerge so that it looks and feels like the nation we want to lead,” she said.
Zille also used to opportunity to take a swipe at the African National Congress.
”The ruling party is deeply divided and running out of ideas. The only idea they have left is that of race,” she said, adding that the DA needed to show that it could be an alternative by building a ”new model” of opposition.
”We want to help South Africa believe in itself again, it is a message of hope, of hard work of personal responsibility to build a better future for all our people,” Zille said. – Sapa