Mmusi Maimane, Athol Trollip resign from DA leadership

Maimane made the announcement in Johannesburg, at a press conference that was delayed for several hours.

"It is with great sadness, that in order to continue this fight for the vision I believe in and the country I so dearly love, I will today step down as leader of the DA. I'll continue my role as parliamentary leader, if the party makes that decision, until the end of the year," Maimane said.

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He says he's been taking stock over the last few days.

"There does come a time when leaders must step back from all noise and make a sober and honest assessment as to what the future does indeed hold. I've spent the last few days doing exactly that, alongside my wife, and in the end, we've come to the conclusion that despite my best efforts, perhaps the DA is not the best vehicle which is suited to take forward the vision of building one South Africa for all," he said.

The development follows this past weekend's election of former DA leader, Helen Zille, as the party's Federal Council chairperson.

Maimane wasn't the only senior DA official that had an announcement to make this evening. 

DA Federal chairperson, Athol Trollip, has also resigned from his position in the party.

"My name was not mentioned in the leadership deficit in the party. So, I accept that where the buck stops at the leadership door, I was in one of those doors. We had as long discussion today in our federal executive, but I  recently said 'There's a time to come and there's a time to in politics' I realised this, this weekend it was probably my time to go."

However, Trollip believes the DA remains the only party that can take South Africa forward.

On Monday, Herman Mashaba quit as Johannesburg mayor, as a member of the DA, effective from the end of November. 

During his announcement, Mashaba said the DA that came out of this past weekend's Federal Council meeting was no longer the same DA he had signed up to.