Newly elected DA leader, Mmusi Maimane says the party's federal congress which ended in Nelson Mandela Bay on Sunday was a momentous and significant congress for the opposition party.
Maimane fought off the challenge of outgoing Federal Chairperson, Wilmot James and two ordinary members Adrian Naidoo and Morgan Oliphant, to become the party's first black leader.
He follows in the footsteps of former leaders, Tony Leon and his successor, Helen Zille, who led the DA for the past eight years.
Speaking at his first media briefing as the new opposition party leader, Maimane said the Congress had elected a diverse leadership.
He said the DA had set itself on a course to achieve two key objectives.
"First it is about the commitment to building a non racial party that does not mobilise on the basis of race but a Party for all South Africans. This conference launched our values which are pitamised by freedom, fairness and opportunity. We want those values to be the bedrock of what South Africans celebrate and what they aspire to. Those who share our values must come with us" he said
Maimane said growing the party's support base will be another key priority.
"It was significant to have a conference here in Nelson Mandela Bay. We want to ensure that we become the government here and we strategically set out objectives towards governing more Metro's in Gauteng and certainly retaining the ones we do. So it is significant and I want to thank everyone here. The election 2016 starts first thing in the morning" he added.
Meanwhile newly elected DA federal chairperson, Atholl Trollip, says they are targetting victory in several municipalities in the Eastern Cape in next year's local government election.
Trollip, who is the party's provincial leader, is also the DA's mayoral candidate for Nelson Mandela Bay for 2016.
He says they've set their sights on winning the Eastern Cape municipalities of Nelson Mandela Bay, Kouga, Koukamma, Baviaans and Camdeboo.
"We are very serious about winning those Municipalities the Party has identified. They are of strategic signifigans and we will fund those campaigns to victory. Those 5 and every other to grow our representation" he said
