SA opposition elects new leader

By Peter Biles
BBC News, Johannesburg

The party has long been criticised for being too white and middle class

South Africa's largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, has elected Helen Zille - the mayor of Cape Town - as its new leader.

She will succeed Tony Leon who is stepping down after 13 years.

The biggest challenge facing the Democratic Alliance is to attract more black support.

Helen Zille had been the favourite in this party leadership contest, with strong political credentials and a high-profile position as mayor.

She was both a journalist and an activist during the struggle against apartheid.

In more recent years, as a Democratic Alliance MP, she worked in Khayelitsha, one of the most impoverished areas of Cape Town.

Since becoming mayor of the city last year, Helen Zille has had fierce political tussles with South Africa's governing party - the African National Congress.

But she is determined to remain as Cape Town's mayor, while at the same time, leading the Democratic Alliance (DA).

The DA has grown in size since the 1990s, but although it is the largest opposition party, it still only holds 12% of the seats in the National Assembly.

The DA has long been criticised for being too white and middle class.

One of Helen Zille's priorities will be to draw in more black voters and break the concentration of power that lies with the ANC.