By Hassan Isilow
JOHANNESBURG
South Africa's main opposition on Sunday elected its first ever black leader.
Musi Maimane, 34, has been elected to Helen Zille who had stepped down last month as leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA).
"I am still getting over at being elected as DA leader today," Maimane, dressed in a white shirt and dark blue suit, told a press conference after being asked if he would step down as the party’s parliamentary leader.
He had defeated party chairman Wilmot James for the top job during the party's elective conference held in Port Elizabeth, one of the largest cities in South Africa, situated 770km east of Cape Town.
The DA, which has for long been viewed as a white party, has been increasing the number of its black representatives in the past five years, thus increasing its appeal among black voters.
"We raised our support among black South Africans from 0.8 percent in 2009 to approximately 6 percent in 2014, with 40 percent of these votes won in Gauteng province," Zille said last year after the election results were released.
The DA now has 89 seats in South Africa's 400-member National Assembly while the ruling African National Congress has 249 seats.
Observers believe Maimane's election will further increase the opposition party's support base among black South Africans.
The ANC has ruled South Africa since 1994.
