Zille apologises over her colonialism tweets
THE DA removed former leader Helen Zille from all party leadership roles yesterday after a disciplinary hearing over a controversial tweet in which she praised aspects of colonialism.
Zille apologised unreservedly yesterday for the tweet, which she posted in March.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane said Zille had agreed that it was in the best interests of the party for her to vacate her position on all decision-making structures.
Zille told a news conference she was genuinely sorry and realised that her comment was insensitive to South Africans who had suffered under colonial oppression.
She said she apologised unreservedly to the South African public who were offended by the tweet and her subsequent explanation of it.
On March 16, Zille wrote: “For those claiming legacy of colonialism was ONLY negative, think of our independent judiciary, transport infrastructure, piped water.”
The tweet was followed by a series of comments justifying her outburst, including a comparison between South Africa and Singapore which she said had managed to build a strong state after the end of colonial rule.
The party then suspended her pending a disciplinary hearing and said Zille’s action had damaged the DA.
The colonialism comment had also threatened to divide the party itself.
Maimane said he had been personally angered by the tweet and that the party had no room for those who sought to sow divisions. Zille, 66, is credited with growing support for the DA among black people.
Maimane said the party risked a protracted legal battle with Zille if the matter was not settled before the 2019 election.
She will remain premier of the Western Cape.
The ANC slammed Zille’s apology yesterday, calling it an “unadulterated defence of white supremacy and privilege”.
It accused Maimane of having no real power.