Zille to face DA federal commission over tweets

THE fallout over Western Cape Premier Helen Zille’s tweets that not all aspects of colonialism were bad is continuing.

Zille is scheduled to meet Glynnis Breytenbach, the party’s federal legal commission chairperson, tomorrow as part of investigations into whether she had breached the DA’s social media policy.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane referred her to the commission to determine whether she should be charged and brought before a disciplinary committee.

“There’s a meeting taking place between Breytenbach and Zille tomorrow after which we will prepare a report for the federal executive to decide whether disciplinary proceedings should be initiated,” said the party’s federal council chairperson James Selfe.

Yesterday, Breytenbach told The Star that she would conclude her investigations on the same day as well as compile a report to send to the party’s federal executive which would decide on whether to institute disciplinary action against the premier.

But Selfe could not say when the executive would sit to go through the report because members “are spread out through the country”.

Zille’s tweets will also be debated at the Western Cape Provincial Legislature on Tuesday as the ANC pushes for her to be removed as premier.

Yesterday, political analyst Somadoda Fikeni said whether the party went ahead with instituting disciplinary action, irreparable damage had already been done to its image.

“This is the most profound damage the party has suffered in a long time,” he said.

“The opponents of the DA, who have long said the party harbours racial elements, are capitalising on this as the very thing that proves their point.

“It also puts Maimane in an awkward position in terms of having to prove he is not the puppet he has been accused of being. Whatever decision the party takes will surely cause ructions between those who have always seen this kind of behaviour by the premier as reprehensible, and those who would want this to be dealt with quietly.

“Either way, it will cause problems both within the party and for the voters, and may even have an effect on the 2019 elections.”

Zille’s spokesperson Michael Mpofu had not responded to a request for comment by the time of going to print.

The opponents of the party are capitalising on this