Lindiwe Mazibuko

Former DA head Lindiwe Mazibuko slams Zille over “toxic backbiting”

Yho, definitely no friendship here…

Lindiwe Mazibuko

A few years back, Lindiwe Mazibuko was seen as the shining light of the DA. She formed part of a trio of women that ran the DA. At the time, her face was plastered on posters alongside Helen Zille and Patricia De Lille.

Fast forward a good few years and Mazibuko is re-entering the political space in South Africa, not in a way that you would expect, though.

Mazibuko has been promoting her new training program to mentor and help young people who want to get into politics. They will be equipped with various skills and receive guidance from political leaders across party lines.

The program is called the Apolitical Academy and is currently accepting applications from young people.

Mazibuko spoke about the project on eNCA and explained that her goal is to take an active role in creating the next generation of “ethical leaders.”

While she still admitted that she was a DA voter and had a favourable bias towards the blue political party, she doesn’t seem to be too fond of Western Cape Premier Helen Zille.

Mazibuko was asked why she unfollowed Zille on Twitter. Let’s just say her answer caught a few people off guard.

“I stopped following her on Twitter, I am not interested in engaging on Twitter in the most toxic kind of backbiting, historical reframing and reactionary right-wing style of politics.”

“It is really unpleasant to watch,” Mazibuko said.

Zille has also not had the most positive things to say about Mazibuko. In her autobiography Not Without A Fight, Zille describes her decision to back Mazibuko as a “mistake.”

Read: Helen Zille tells government to follow her lead on land reform

The Western Cape Premier has accused Mazibuko of merely using her role as Parliamentary leader as a “stepping stone” to become DA leader.

Mazibuko went on to resign from the DA to begin studying at Harvard University.