Zille’s head on chopping block

Premier faces DA disciplinary for tweet on colonialism

PREMIER Helen Zille has been described as “an utter bigot” by the ANC, with the party calling for the former DA leader to be axed following her latest Twitter storm in which she appeared to praise colonialism.

Some of Zille’s colleagues within the DA also condemned her posts on the social media platform yesterday.

“Colonialism was a crime against humanity,” DA national spokesperson Phumzile van Damme said. “There isn’t a single aspect of it that can be said to be positive or beneficial to Africans.”

Zille took to Twitter to announce that “for those claiming legacy of colonialism was only negative, think of our independent judiciary, transport infrastructure, piped water, etc”.

She continued: “Would we have a transition into specialised health care and medication without colonial influence? Just be honest, please.”

Her utterances were later followed by an apology, but the DA had already instituted an investigation into the controversial post.

Chairperson of the DA’s federal executive committee, James Selfe, said he supported “both the sentiments and the actions” of party leader Mmusi Maimane, who confirmed that Zille faces a disciplinary committee.

“Let me make this clear: Colonialism, like apartheid, was a system of oppression and subjugation. It can never be justified,” Maimane said.

He said he had referred Zille to the federal executive committee for investigation following her tweets “which may have violated the DA’s social media policy for public representatives”.

Zille’s spokesperson, Michael Mpofu, said: “The premier has unreservedly apologised for a tweet that may have come across as a defence of colonialism. The premier was referring to how the Singaporean people have overcome the past to build a successful economy.

“We wish to be clear that the premier was not justifying colonialism.”

But ANC provincial leader Khaya Maxaga said: “She clearly has a race problem and is an utter bigot.”

If the DA retains Zille, Magaxa added, it would be “disdainful about the horror colonialism brought on our people that were killed, displaced and disowned under colonial rule”.

EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said: “The EFF rejects the premier of Western Cape, Helen Zille’s apology following her unconstitutional, racist and anti-black remarks on social media.”

Meanwhile, Maimane maintained that the DA was a party “committed to redressing the wrongs of the past”.