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She is called all sorts of names, but I have known a different Helen Zille. I called her Helen. In her office she insists we call her Helen because she is no one’s madam and we are colleagues. But some of our colleagues called her the H-bomb because of the times she “bombed” them for doing wrong.
I have known Helen from when she was elected Cape Town mayor in 2006. It was a difficult time for a white person to lead the City of Cape Town. Many Capetonians did not accept her. As a young journalist at the time, I covered a story when she was attacked and had chairs thrown at her at a community meeting in Old Crossroads.
Bodyguards had to fire a warning shot for the angry crowd to part for the mayor, who had to be escorted out of the hall. Elders patiently waiting to hear from her were disappointed at the move and the news that the attack was planned.
I randomly approached Helen with media enquiries and was always surprised by her prompt response. I never missed a deadline because she did not respond on time. She was such an inspiration. She was the only public representative who responded to queries in the middle of the evening. That made me wonder if she had a family or a life beyond work.
When I started working for the DA in 2013, I hardly saw Helen and we never spoke. I still don’t know how she appointed me her spokesperson after last year’s national elections out of a team of experienced individuals in the DA.
Working close to her gave me a chance to know the real Helen. I remember when it was announced that I was her new spokesperson. My phone buzzed with calls from friends and former colleagues, who asked if I was not intimidated by the thought of working with a person of her calibre.
When I asked them to elaborate, they would say she was sharp and brilliant, a bully and very intimidating. Some said they would never risk working directly with her to save themselves from embarrassment. But not once was I bullied or made to feel intimidated. Working with Helen was a great learning experience. She taught me something was either right or wrong, nothing in-between. I respect her for that. You can never lie to Helen or create a false story. She hates a liar.
She always amazed me in the short period we travelled together and there were very funny moments.
When we caught early-morning flights, I would sleep and she would read newspapers. She respected the fact that I wanted to catch up on my sleep and she always laughed at me. I always asked where she got her energy from and wished I was like her.
Helen is not a coward. I have seen this at political events we attended. She always fought with bodyguards who removed her from a scene they believed was dangerous.
She would fight and demand to be returned to the people. At times, she would slip from the bodyguards’ hands and risk her life.
I remember once, during a by-election campaign in Port Elizabeth, she got out of a car to confront a man who was dumping litter. He might have smacked her, but she convinced him he was breaking the law and he apologised.
Many people asked if I was helping her with isiXhosa lessons. I also wanted to know how she learnt isiXhosa, because she surprised me all the time.
You feel Helen’s maternal warmth and love when you’re with her. We spoke about personal issues and she would always give good advice.
She is also human and makes mistakes. I appreciate the fact that she can apologise and show remorse.
I respect Helen immensely and will continue to do so. She has shown me and many others that she has the interests of this country at heart. She might be stepping aside, but I trust she will continue to fight and build a nonracial South Africa.
Helen’s contribution to South African politics has been enormous and she will leave a living legacy.
Makoba-Somdaka is Zille’s spokesperson
