Zille hits campaign trail again
ANC scathing as premier acts as ‘ordinary party member’
BARELY a month after a teary-eyed apology to South Africa, former DA leader Helen Zille is back campaigning for the party.
This is despite being removed from its leadership positions over a series of tweets about colonialism.
On Saturday, Zille campaigned at a shopping mall in Milnerton to canvass for votes for a by-election in ward 4 on August 2.
Wandisile Ngeyi is standing as the DA’s candidate in a ward which ranges from upmarket areas like Milnerton and Royal Ascot to low-cost and informal housing in Joe Slovo.
Last week, Zille campaigned for the DA in Eendekuil, Bergrivier, where a new councillor will be elected on August 23.
Zille tweeted in March, following a trip to Singapore, that the legacy of colonialism was not all bad, justifying herself in a series of tweets before apologising when DA leaders, including Mmusi Maimane, tweeted that colonialism was like apartheid, and could not be justified.
Zille last month struck a deal with the DA in which she apologised “unreservedly”, and stepped down from all her leadership positions in the DA, although she was controversially allowed to remain as Western Cape premier.
DA federal executive chairperson James Selfe said the DA’s federal executive did not have to approve Zille’s campaigning for the party.
“When Helen Zille issued her unreserved apology and she stood down from the federal executive, federal council and the provincial council, the federal executive dropped the charges and lifted the suspension.
“She is thus free to participate in party activities as an ordinary member,” said Selfe.
The ward 4 seat was left vacant after the previous councillor, Tando Jafta, was fired from the DA for failing to attend council, sub-council and portfolio committee meetings.
ANC chief whip in the City of Cape Town Xolani Sotashe was more scathing, saying Zille’s campaigning for the DA was proof that “racism is in the DNA of the DA”.
Zille did not respond to calls for comment.