South African main opposition party Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane gestures as he speaks on stage during the final presidential election campaign rally of the DA at the Dobsonville Stadium, in Soweto. Photo: MARCO LONGARI / AFP
South African main opposition party Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane gestures as he speaks on stage during the final presidential election campaign rally of the DA at the Dobsonville Stadium, in Soweto. Photo: MARCO LONGARI / AFP
There’s no doubt about it: Mmusi Maimane is a man of many talents. He turns 39 on Thursday, and in the last year of his thirties, he’s certainly achieved more than most.
The DA leader has enjoyed a four-year stint in charge of the opposition party, and despite some recent setbacks, he remains in charge for the foreseeable future. His popularity may be open to interpretation for some people, but when Julius Malema and Fikile Mbalula are wishing you a happy birthday, you must have got something right…
Happy Birthday Bafanas
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) June 6, 2019
Happy birthday Mmusi ukhule unga khokhobi ??
— RSA Minister of Transport (@MbalulaFikile) June 6, 2019
Of course, birthdays are the perfect time to reflect and contemplate on how life has treated you so far. All things considered, Mmusi Maimane has had a good time of things. But where would he be today, had he chosen a different path? That’s what we’re going to take a brief look at.
Following his extensive educational career – which took him from Witwatersrand to North Wales – Maimane ran his own management consultancy and lectured at a business school in Johannesburg, before he applied to run as a DA candidate for Johannesburg City Council.
In 2011, a confident and aspirational Maimane applied to run as the DA’s candidate for the position of Mayor of Johannesburg. The new kid on the block, Maimane, defeated contender Vasco da Gama to be elected as the DA mayoral candidate for Johannesburg. He never looked back from there and assumed control of the party four years later.
However, up until 2014, Maimane used to preach at the Discovery Church in Randburg and just down the road at Liberty Church. As a pastor, he’d perform sermons under his official first name, Aloysias – a name which he also used during a rather candid photo-shoot in 2004.
Yes, the actual leader of the opposition was caught giving it his best Derek Zoolander impression 15 years ago:
Quality. It’s always nice to have irons in the fire. But if we’re being honest, Mmusi Maimane’s birthday is just the best excuse we have to drag up this photo. Please Mmusi, talk us through those yellow pants, would you?