The DA’s Helen Zille denies endorsing Patrice Motsepe for the ANC presidency

(Photo credit: AFP)

Democratic Alliance federal council chairperson Helen Zille has dismissed claims that she endorsed billionaire Patrice Motsepe as a potential successor to President Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC president.

Zille says her comments were taken out of context and stressed that she does not involve herself in the internal affairs of the African National Congress. She was responding to media reports suggesting she had expressed support for Motsepe’s leadership prospects.

According to Zille, describing a possible leadership transition as “seamless” should not be interpreted as an endorsement. She labelled the narrative misleading and accused some journalists of twisting her words to create a false impression of support.