Black woman elected to head South Africa’s main opposition party

Lindiwe Mazibuko Picture: Gallo Images/Foto24/Nasief Manie

South Africa’s main opposition party has for the first time elected a black woman to lead it in parliament.

Thursday’s election in Cape Town among the 83 Democratic Alliance members of parliament puts 31-year-old Lindiwe Mazibuko (pictured), in the spotlight. She has been a party spokeswoman and in the parliamentary leadership race had the support of the party’s president, Hellen Zille.

The Democratic Alliance has been trying to shake its image as a bastion of white liberals.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.