Zille is still very relevant

HELEN Zille inherited the spirit that flourished in and was nurtured by Helen Suzman – the driving force of both of them was the spirit of a liberated and prosperous nation of South Africa.

They represent the spiritual will of an invincible people and a land of undeniable destiny.

Suzman and Zille loved their country enough to make enormous sacrifices in achieving the new dispensation. Zille was the journalist who, at great risk to herself, exposed the true story of police brutality behind Black Consciousness Movement leader Steve Biko’s death in 1977. She was an activist via her involvement with the Black Sash, which assisted disadvantaged people. She was intimidated and persecuted for many years by the apartheid government’s Bureau of State Security– a very scary band of bullies.

In the hearts of most thinking, caring South Africans, Helen Zille was (and still is) motivated by her love for our country and its people.

She cast her bread on the waters over and over again, when all she could expect in return was danger and fear.

In the current scramble for power in South African politics, there are many, on both sides of the political spectrum, who depict Zille as powerhungry, interfering and racist.

This is pure political ambition on their part. The ANC depicts Zille as DA leader Mmusi Maimane’s “madam” to cheapen his role.

Sadly he has neither the conviction nor the gravitas to stand up to, or expose, this chicanery.

Maimane has been unable to rally the DA around him to derail the ANC bandwagon.

Sadly, also, the ANC has no one within their own divided ranks to clean up its act. The reason Zille is still relevant in South African politics is because many patriotic South Africans know her to be the only authentic individual who has shown the passion to save us from self-serving politicians.

Our current “politics of coalition”, which has managed to partially unseat the nefarious ANC, was engineered and made possible by Zille’s driving force. If we had patriotic, competent people running our government, Zille would have already retired gracefully (and thankfully). As things stand, we need her (and others like her) more than ever. — Sandy Johnston, via e-mail