NightTalk with Gugu Mhlungu

Western Cape Premier Helen Zille has opened up about her life after her autobiography 'Not Without A Fight' was launched this week.

Zille spoke to CapeTalk host John Maytham about her tell-all book which looks at some of the political controversies that have punctuated her career.

The book details Zille's life journey in chronological order, and she says she carefully selected the balance between sharing pivotal parts of her public and private life.

She writes about her childhood, varsity years, struggles with an eating disorder and her postpartum depression after having her two sons.

Zille also criticises the various political actions of former DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko, former DA leader Tony Leon and Agang SA leader Mamphela Ramphele.

In her view, she says that she was setting the record straight about was happening at the time when she wanted to consolidate the opposition in the province.

She speaks candidly about so-called Twitter trolls, her love-hate relationship with the media and some of the comments which have landed her in hot water in the past.

Zille also writes openly about her involvement in the liberation struggle and her complex relationship with the then disbanded ANC.

I also saw, at close quarters, two streaks in the ANC that I didn't like. One was a reversion to racial nationalism and strong Marxists strand.

— Helen Zille, Western Cape Premier

In 1994 I realised that the biggest challenge of our new democracy is that the ANC would become too powerful.

— Helen Zille, Western Cape Premier

WATCH: Helen Zille in studio with John Maytham; discussing her new book 'Not Without a Fight'

Listen to the full conversation from The John Maytham Show: