Cape Town, South Africa, from the Democratic Alliance's newsletter:
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DA leader and mayor of Cape Town Helen Zille has been awarded the 2008 World Mayor prize by City Mayors, an international urban affairs think tank.
Zille came out tops out of a group of 820 mayors from around the world in the competition which has spanned 18 months. A shortlist of 50 was selected from the 820 public nominations, which was later reduced to 11, and then to five.
Editor of City Mayors, Tann vom Hove, said last Monday that Zille had dedicated her professional life to improve the well-being of South Africans.
"Helen Zille was the judging panel's unanimous choice for the 2008 World Mayor Prize. This amazing woman was making a difference and giving people hope. Her only equals in South Africa are Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela," he said.
“She has dedicated all her professional life to further the well-being of all sections of South African society. She has done so with courage, tenacity and, above all, a deep-felt love for Cape Town, her country and its people,” Mr vom Hove added.
An outstanding mayor is described by City Mayors as someone who possesses qualities of greatness, leadership and vision, has good management abilities, is socially and economically aware and has the ability to provide security and to protect the environment.
An excellent mayor also possesses the skill to foster good relations between communities from different cultural, racial and social backgrounds.
Commentators who supported her nomination said that in a country devoid of present-day role models, Ms Zille was making a difference and giving people hope.
The organisers stated that Zille had the most passionate and eloquent supportive comments in this year's contest. "Her humanity, charm, integrity, vision and political know-how have all been praised in equal measures," said City Mayors.
Commenting on the announcement, Zille said: “It is a great honour to have been awarded the World Mayor award. It is a tribute to the teams, in the mayor’s office, the city officials, my caucus colleagues, the team in Parliament and my family who work tirelessly to support me in everything I do.”
“It is a great incentive for us to keep working to build democracy in South Africa with opportunities for all.”
Congratulating Zille on behalf of the Democratic Alliance, party Chairperson Joe Seremane said that to beat 820 nominees from all over the globe was a truly remarkable achievement.
“Helen and her team in the City of Cape Town are showing what can be achieved within the DA's framework of an open, opportunity society for all - we are proving that there is an alternative to the ANC, and this alternative works,” he said.
Under Helen Zille's leadership, the DA was growing from strength to strength.
“We have the courage, we have the vision and we have the plan to build a truly non-racial alternative to the ruling party,” he said.
“We look forward to next year's election, when the voters of South Africa will have the opportunity to judge who they think is the best person and the best party to take our country forward.”
[Rep]
Her deputy in the party is African. The party itself is a mix of modern South Africans who, if allowed to come to power, would put South Africa back on the map. Helen Zille deserves her mayoral title. She is a terrific lady, a brave woman who withstands some heavy threats and an intelligent negotiator.
The Democratic Alliance has a vibrant membership and many ongoing projects. They have a news letter people can subscribe to that gives a good idea of how small parties can argue against big ugly ones and keep their integrity. The DA is a small political miracle in a very turbulent and corruption scarred political scene. Making it to Mayor of Cape Town was in itself fraught with ANC attempts to wipe Zille off the political map, but she made it and her party is a strident voice against the present utterly useless ANC government. (Which, as a matter of interest, has just split in two. All is not sweetness and light in ANC country. In fact, fissures are appearing all the way down happiness mountain and pouring the lava of discontent out on a country tired of mismanagement and violent crime.)
[Rep]
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