Mmusi Maimane quits as DA leader
Democratic Alliance (DA) federal chair Athol Trollip also announced his resignation on a dramatic day at the party’s headquarters in Johannesburg.
The now former leader of the DA Mmusi Maimane said he will continue to serve as the party’s parliamentary leader until the end of the year.
Maimane briefed the media on Wednesday amid intense speculation that he will step down as federal leader.
He was last seen in public, next to outgoing Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba when he announced his resignation from the party on Monday.
This came a day after Helen Zille was elected as chair of the party's federal council.
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The DA’s federal executive met behind closed doors on Wednesday to map the way forward for the embattled official opposition.
A review panel - which looked at the DA’s poor performance at the polls earlier this year – reportedly found that the party is suffering from poor leadership under Maimane.
In an emotional speech, Maimane said he wanted an authentic DA that would remove the ANC from power “to free the country from poverty”.
"I indeed fundamentally believed that if the DA was to be a party of government it needed to look and feel like a place that will be a home for all South Africans.
"However, in the past few months, it has become clear that there are some in the party that does not share my vision.
"There have been consistent attacks on me and the party that this diversity project failed."