Can DA spread from white suburbs to townships?

Mmusi Maimane is caught between a rock and a hard place, writes Mafika Siphiwe Mgcina.

The unending soap opera in the Democratic Alliance around Helen Zille beats all the soap operas that are currently on the Mzansi channel. Mmusi Maimane is caught between a rock and a hard place.

After two years at the helm of the DA, he is trying very hard to establish his authority, decisiveness and ability to lead a party as broad and diverse as this one.

There are few interesting scenarios in this unfolding drama around Zille’s utterances about colonialism.

The first is that the DA showed significant growth in the previous polls, notably the last local government elections.

It might be argued that this can be attributed to Maimane as the leader at the helm.

Others within the DA will argue that under Zille, there was slight growth but that she laid the foundation for that growth.

The ongoing debate is whether the party is able to grow significantly in the black townships under Maimane or should it maintain its previous identity as being a white representative party. The jury is out on that. However, the fundamental question is whether the DA will be able to grow in the black townships while consolidating its support in the predominantly white suburbs.

Also, does it have the ability to enter into a coalition with parties that have radical and extreme policies such as EFF?

Under the leadership of Zille, that was unthinkable.