Zille rejects protector’s tweet report
WESTERN Cape premier Helen Zille yesterday rejected public protector Busisiswe Mkhwebane’s findings that a tweet she wrote on colonialism in March 2017 was a violation of the Executive Ethics code.
“The premier has not received the actual report‚ outlining the reasons for this finding‚” Zille’s office said in a statement shortly after Mkhwebane’s report was released.
“However‚ from what has been announced . . . the premier is likely to take this report on judicial review‚” the statement from Zille’s office read.
“The premier has already advised the public protector that‚ in her view‚ such a finding would be unlawful and irrational.”
The ANC had lodged the complaint against Zille‚ alleging that the tweet had brought back a lot of pain and suffering to victims of apartheid.
The tweet had read: “For those claiming legacy of colonialism was ONLY negative‚ think of our independent judiciary‚ transport infrastructure‚ piped water.”
Mkhwebane had recommended that the speaker of the Western Cape provincial legislature should‚ within 30 days of the report‚ take appropriate action to hold Zille accountable for her utterances.
Delivering her report‚ Mkhwebane said Zille maintained that she saw nothing wrong in the tweet.
“The premier felt that it was within her rights to tweet like that because according to the constitution‚ she has freedom of expression. That was her view – that there is nothing wrong [with what] she has done‚” Mkhwebane said.
In contradiction‚ however‚ Zille had apologised for the offensive tweet last year shortly after it sparked outrage.
Regarding the apology‚ Mkhwebane said: “Her apology can be interpreted as recognition of the negative impact the tweet had on the dignity of a section of the South African population.”
She added that while Zille had freedom of expression‚ her tweet was offensive and insensitive.
The former DA leader had been placed on suspension by the party for the tweet in March last year‚ a move‚ however‚ which she said was extremely harsh.
She said the party had failed to follow proper party procedures when considering her suspension.
In a nine-page letter motivating why she should not be suspended‚ Zille said black people who shared the same views as her on colonialism were not treated in the same manner.
Zille had made her motivation letter public moments after the DA confirmed her suspension.
She said her suspension was a vindictive move which came after she resisted being pushed into resigning.
She rubbished claims that the tweet saga had tarnished the party’s image‚ saying: “The ongoing damage to the party in this matter is of its own doing.”