Helen Zille

Helen Zille (9 March, 1951 -) is the Mayor of Cape Town in South Africa's Western Cape province and leader of the Democratic Alliance political party, South Africa's official opposition. She was voted "Newsmaker of the year 2006" by the National Press Club in Pretoria on 11 July 2007. She is a "grand-grand niece" of Heinrich Zille.

Biography

Early life and career

Helen Zille was born in Johannesburg, the eldest child of parents who separately left Germany in the 1930s. Her grandfather (on her mother's side) and her grandmother (on her father's side) were Jewish. She was educated at Johannesburg's St Mary's School, Waverley and the University of the Witwatersrand, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree.She married Professor Johann Maree in 1982, and they have two sons - Paul (born in 1984) and Thomas (1989).Zille began her career as a political journalist for the Rand Daily Mail, where she famously exposed the truth behind Steve Biko's death. [cite news |first=Mpho |last=Lakaje |title=In memory of a South African martyr |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6990937.stm |publisher=BBC News |location=Johannesburg |date=12 September 2007 |accessdate=2008-02-22 |quote=South Africa's official opposition leader, Helen Zille, was a journalist at the time and exposed the truth behind Biko's death...] At this time she became politically active in the Democratic Party. Her editor at the time, Allister Sparks, recalls: 'She was the star cadet on the Rand Daily Mail'. She was previously involved in the Black Sash movement, the End Conscription Campaign, the South Africa Beyond Apartheid Project and the Cape Town Peace Committee. She also gathered evidence for the Goldstone Commission which investigated attempts to destabilise the Western Cape before the elections in 1994. She held the position of Director of Development and Public Affairs at the University of Cape Town. As chair of governing body of Grove Primary School in 1996, she led a successful challenge against government policy limiting governing bodies' powers to appoint staff. [cite news|url=http://www.dispatch.co.za/1997/10/16/page%2019n.htm|publisher=Dispatch|date=October 16, 1997|title=Redeploying teachers set for revival] She was the MEC for Education in the Western Cape and subsequently became a Member of Parliament for the DA. Within the DA she rose to the level of deputy federal chairperson and was the national party spokesperson and spokesperson for education. She was a finalist in the South African Woman of the Year Award in 2003. [cite web|url=http://www.southafrica.info/women/womanoftheyear03.htm|title=Woman of the Year 2003 finalists |date=30 July 2003|accessdate=2007-04-10] Zille reflects the multilingualism of the country, and speaks English, Afrikaans and Xhosa (as well as the language of her parents, German). [ [http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/Pages/profilefull.aspx?IndID=3528 Helen Zille Biography] ]

Mayoralty

In the 2006 municipal elections, the DA became the single largest party in Cape Town with 42% of the vote, ahead of the African National Congress (ANC). Helen Zille was elected mayor by 106 votes to 103 on 15 March 2006, after the DA obtained the support of several smaller parties.After assuming office, Helen Zille's first major test of strength involved the decision by her multi-party government to revoke the appointment of the Cape Town City Manager, Wallace Mgoqi, whose term of appointment had been controversially extended by the outgoing ANC executive mayor, Nomaindia Mfeketo. [cite news|title="...the best Cape Town mayor in decades"... ?|url=http://www.capeinfo.com/Surveys/Interviews/Helen_Zille.asp|publisher=CapeInfo|date=April 2006] Zille's decision was upheld by the High Court which ruled that the extension of Mgoqi's appointment by the previous mayor had been unlawful. Zille has faced considerable opposition and confrontation with the ANC, in September 2006, the provincial ANC MEC Richard Dyantyi, announced he planned to replace the city's political system. Dyantyi wanted to impose an executive committee system, changing the mayoral committee system, the move would have resulted in Zille being stripped of her executive mayoral powers and her power considerably reduced. Under this policy, the winning party would not be able to assign every one of the ten seats - rather these would be allocated on a proportional representation basis. [cite news|url=http://www.sabcnews.com/politics/the_parties/0,2172,135339,00.html|title=Leon says Mbeki behind plan to oust Zille|date=September 22, 2006|publisher=SABC News] The matter was later resolved, with Dyanti and Zille settling on the terms of retaining the current mayoral system whilst the ANC was provided with two additional sub-committees in areas of the city controlled by the ANC. [cite news|url=http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=qw1162328763828B242|publisher=IOL|first=Ben|last=Maclennan|title=Zille keeps the reins in Cape Town|date=November 1, 2006] Zille has tackled many issues in the city during her term and she has announced that she is committed to service delivery and delivering the city's mandate. Her commitments have included the imminent 2010 World Cup, as Cape Town is a designated host city. Zille has been overseeing the construction and financing of the Green Point stadium, which will host matches. A particular concern of Zille's is the problem of drug abuse in Cape Town, particularly tik abuse. She has called for the decentralization of the police force and the promotion of drug rehabilitation centres. Zille has also called for further funding from the government to battle drug abuse. Zille has also met with local communities [cite news|url=http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=nw20070622143126837C328439 |publisher=IOL|title=Zille to meet with Lentegeur community|date= June 22 2007] to discuss the issue and even attended a nighttime vigil. Continuing with her dissatisfaction with the centralization of the police force, Zille has objected to plans to incorporate the metro police into the broader SAPS. Such a move would remove considerable power from local government and instead would vest more control in the hands of the National Police Commissioner, Jackie Selebi. [cite news |title=The battle for Metro cops | author=Ensor, Linda |url=http://www.businessday.co.za/Articles/TarkArticle.aspx?ID=2910746 |publisher=Business Day |date= 28 July 2007 |accessdate=2008-02-22 |quote=According to her (Zille), Selebi was presiding over a police force that was steadily losing its ability to deliver on its mandate, and his control should not be extended. ] Zille is longlisted for the 2008 World Mayor award. [cite web |first=Andrew |last=Stevens |title=Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille defending her job and beliefs |url=http://www.citymayors.com/mayors/capetown_mayor.html |publisher=CityMayors |date= 28 January 2008 |accessdate=2008-02-22 ]

DA Leader

On 15 March 2007 Zille declared herself as candidate to succeed the outgoing leader of the Democratic Alliance, Tony Leon. She was elected as the new leader by a large majority on 6 May 2007. She indicated that she would lead the party from outside Parliament, while continuing in her position as executive mayor of Cape Town. Since becoming leader of the Democratic Alliance, Zille has challenged the ruling government on a number of issues. Of particular concern to Zille was the government's response [cite news|url=http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20070707091152431C921713|publisher=IOL|title='Bland' government ducking the facts - Zille|date= July 7, 2007] to alarming crime statistics released in July 2007. She has warned against the controversial National Health Amendment Bill, legislation allowing greater state intervention in private health care. She has warned that the state will destroy the system, that is rated as the fifth best of its kind in the world. She outlined the possibility that the Bill could drive away thousands of skilled medical professionals. Together with her political party, she proposed an alternative health plan, for the privatisation of state healthcare. [cite news|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200806100145.html|publisher=allAfrica|title=South Africa: Zille Says Health Bill Will Drive Skills Away|date= June 10, 2008] [cite news|url=http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=125&art_id=nw20080609123952178C266385|publisher=IOL Online|title=Let private sector run state hospitals - DA |date= June 9, 2008] She has questioned judicial independence in South Africa, in light of the alleged behaviour of the Cape judge president John Hlophe in trying to influence the Constitutional Court judges to rule in favour of ANC president Jacob Zuma. She also cited racism directed towards those in the judiciary: the ANC accused Judge de Villiers of belonging "to the class of dinosaurs that internalised the workings of white domination", and Jacob Zuma’s opinion that a ruling by Judge Combrink was "proof of the resistance to transformation by some of South Africa’s judges", and former ANC youth league president, Fikile Mbalula, referring to Judge Hilary Squires as an "old Rhodesian apartheid judge". Whereas "When it comes to black judges, the ANC’s subtext is different. There is an expectation that, as beneficiaries of transformation, black judges will put the ANC first. If they do not, they risk provoking the ire of the party leadership..". On Hlophe she said that he "Judge Hlophe is the epitome of a judge who is ’in consonance’ with the ruling party. He behaves like an ANC deployee, he is tainted by shady dealings and he is not afraid to play the race card when he needs to". [cite news|url=http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=784709|publisher=Sunday Times|title=Hlophe rocks Zille’s faith in judges|date= June 13, 2008] She has publicly denounced the Zimbabwean regime, calling for Mbeki to abandon his 'quiet diplomacy' policy and take a tougher stance towards the Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe. She has called for the South African president to publicly acknowledge that the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe is illegal and illegitimate; to sever all formal diplomatic ties with Zimbabwe and withdraw all diplomatic representatives; to impose smart sanctions on the Zanu-PF elite, including travel bans to South Africa and the freezing of all South African assets linked to Mugabe and Zanu-PF; and to lobby for the suspension of Zimbabwe from the United Nations, the African Union and the South African Development Community. [cite news|url=http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13635:statement-by-helen-zille&catid=35:zimbabwe%20opinion%20and%20analysis&Itemid=64|publisher=The Zimbabwean|title=STATEMENT BY HELEN ZILLE|date= June 24, 2008] In June 2008, she challenged the president of the ANC and the 2009 presidential candidate, Jacob Zuma to a public debate on ten key issues such as the arms deal, disbanding of the Scorpions, the situation in Zimbabwe, HIV/Aids and labour legislation. [cite news|url=http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=6&art_id=vn20080620114107524C471772|publisher=IOL|title=Will Zuma debate against Zille?|date= June 20, 2008] [cite news|url=http://www.sabcnews.com/politics/the_parties/0,2172,171819,00.html|publisher=SABC|title=Zille challenges Zuma to public debate|date= June 20, 2008] Zuma has since declined to participate. She has since requested a public debate again, according to her "Zuma said earlier in the year that he was willing to debate anything, with anyone, at any time. Yet, he ignored my challenge for a debate on the future of the Scorpions and he is refusing to debate me now,". [cite news|url=http://www.sabcnews.com/politics/the_parties/0,2172,172097,00.html|publisher=SABC|title=Zuma refuses to meet with Zille|date= June 25, 2008] [cite news|url=http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20080626114212346C109992|publisher=IOL|title=Zille reminds Zuma of statement|date= June 25, 2008]

Campaign against drug and alcohol abuse

Zille and eight other persons were arrested on Sunday 9 September 2007 outside the Mitchell's Plain police station. Zille was arrested when she visited the police station to investigate the arrest of the group. The group had been distributing pamphlets in the campaign against the abuse of alcohol and drugs in Cape Town. Police have alleged that she supports vigilante groups opposed to drug abuse. She appeared in the Mitchell's Plain Magistrates Court later that week for contravening the Regulation of Gatherings Act. Zille is expected to sue the Minister of Police for wrongful arrest. [cite news|url=http://www.dispatch.co.za/2007/09/10/SouthAfrica/adrug.html|publisher=Daily Dispatch|title=Another apartheid era arrest for Zille|accessdate=2007-09-09] On Tuesday 11 September 2007 Zille appeared briefly before the Mitchell's Plain Magistrates Court together with a group of ten persons who had been arrested with her. [cite news|url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=6&art_id=nw20070911095031215C574934|publisher=IOL|title=Zille in court|accessdate=2007-09-11] On Sunday 30 September 2007 it was reported that senior intelligence sources, who were unhappy with the ANC's plans to subvert state institutions to do ANC bidding, had leaked information to Zille that operatives with weapons were infiltrating PADLAC with the ultimate objective of bringing down the leader of the opposition. [cite news|url=http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=574153|title=Intelligence sources unhappy with ANC plans|publisher=Sunday Times|accessdate=2007-09-30] On October 23, 2007, Zille was acquitted of all charges brought before the Mitchell's Plain Magistrates Court on the grounds that the prosecution's case against her and 9 other defendants did not stand a chance of succeeding. Zille has reiterated her intention to sue the South African Police Services (SAPS) branch in the Western Cape for wrongful arrest. [cite news|url=http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL23741565.html|publisher=Reuters|title=SAfrica drops charges against opposition head Zille|accessdate=-2007-10-23] On March 8, 2008, Helen Zille took her anti-drugs campaign to Johannesburg, leading a protest march. Marchers wore DA t-shirts, bearing the message "No to drugs and save our children". [cite news|url=http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/&articleid=334191|publisher=Mail&Guardian|title=Zille leads Jo'burg anti-drugs march|accessdate=2008-03-08]

United Nations

In April 2008, Zille was asked to address the UN in New York on population and development, offering her experience and lessons as mayor of Cape Town. [cite news|url=http://iafrica.com/news/sa/642715.htm|publisher=iafrica|title=Helen Zille to address the UN|accessdate=2008-03-08]

World's best mayor award

Zille was nominated as one of 820 world mayors and has made it into the shortlist of 50 mayors. [cite news|url=http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=6&art_id=vn20080511084828351C298153|publisher=IOL Online|title=Zille shortlisted as best mayor in the world|accessdate=2008-11-05] She has since reached the final shortlist of 11 world mayors, and she is the only remaining mayor of an African city. The Winner will be announced in October 2008. [cite news|url=http://www.worldmayor.com/contest_2008/world-mayor-vote.html|publisher=World Mayor|title=World Mayor 2008The final shortlist|accessdate=2008-06-13] Quotation|Helen Zille is a passionate and very hard-working mayor who has stood up to enormous bullying to push for improved service delivery in her city. — www.worldmayor.com

External links

* [http://www.helenzille.co.za Helen Zille's blog]
* [http://www.zoopy.com/helen Helen Zille's interactive social media profile at Zoopy.com]
* [http://www.citymayors.com/mayors/capetown_mayor.html CityMayors profile]
* [http://www.capetown.dj/people/Quotes/MayoralSystem.htm Quotes about Cape Town's mayoral system]
* [http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20070711214856350C636381 Zille voted Newsmaker of the year]
* [http://capeinfo.com/Surveys/Interviews/Helen_Zille.asp CapeInfo interview with Helen Zille]
* [http://metkere.com/en/2008/09/helen-zille.html Interview with Helen Zille at metkere.com]

References

Persondata
NAME=Zille, Helen
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Mayor of Cape Town
DATE OF BIRTH=1951-3-9
PLACE OF BIRTH=Johannesburg, South Africa
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=