Lindiwi Mazibuko becomes first Black leader of South Africa's Democratic Alliance party

History was made in South Africa after the main opposition party elected a Black woman as its leader in parliament in a bid to challenge the governing African National Congress (ANC).

Lindiwe Mazibuko, who was only elected to parliament around two years ago, has been chosen to lead the Democratic Alliance as the party looks to shed its liberal white image. Mazibuko ousted Athol Trollip, who had held the position since 2009, after beating him in the race for leadership earlier this week.

The 31-year-old has set her sights on increasing her party's presence in South Africa and attracting the vote of the majority Black population in the run-up to the 2014 election.

Mazibuko, who is currently the party's national spokeswoman, said,

"I am incredibly excited about the future of South Africa and the role that the Democratic Alliance will play in ensuring that every citizen is given a chance to lead a life they value. We want to start to capture the hopes and the dreams of South Africa's people in parliament. I will do everything in my power to grow the DA as we head towards the 2014 election.”

Mazibuko was born in Swaziland to a banker father and a mother who was a nurse and moved to South Africa at a young age. She studied at a Anglican boarding school and had a stint studying music at the University of KwaZulu-Natal before travelling to London to try her luck as a professional singer.

Her career path changed when she returned to South Africa to study communications at the University of Cape Town where she came across DA national leader Helen Zille, who steered her towards a life in politics.

Lindiwi Mazibuko