Zille in hot water over tweets
Helen Zille is prolific on Twitter but her recent posts are doing her and her party no favours
IT’S hard to tell what was going through her mind when she wrote the controversial tweet that could end her political career (see below right). Had she learnt nothing from her previous social media stuff-ups? Although Western Cape premier Helen Zille has since apologised for the tweet in question, the damage has been done. “Zille has done immense damage to herself and the party she used to lead,” says Thabisi Hoeane, a senior political science lecturer at Unisa.
“She’s seriously dented the image she’s always sought to portray as a nonracial politician.
“For the DA the setback is even worse because the party has been trying very hard to cultivate this image of a caring party that accommodates all, and here’s Zille making these comments which raise doubts in many South Africans, especially black voters, whether the DA is really a home for them.”
Zille has posted more than 54 700 tweets over the past eight years – that’s more than 6 800 a year.
Here are some of her memorable Twitter moments.
THE MOST RECENT TWEET TO GET EVERYONE TALKING
Having just returned from a trip to Singapore she was keen to share her thoughts with her more than a million followers on Twitter about the prosperous small country in Southeast Asia – which, like South Africa, was once under British colonial rule.
But it was the 10th tweet she sent that really got everyone’s attention.
It read: “For those claiming legacy of colonialism was ONLY negative, think of our independent judiciary, transport infrastructure, piped water, etc.”
It didn’t end there though – she sent out another missive as criticism started coming in.
“Getting onto an aeroplane now and won’t get onto the Wi-Fi so that I can cut off those who think EVERY aspect of colonial legacy was bad.”
Later, she tweeted an apology. “I apologise unreservedly for a tweet that may have come across as a defence of colonialism. It was not.”
Then, after the DA promised to investigate if she’d broken any party rules, she wrote in a column for the website dailymaverick. co.za, “I am deeply grateful for the DA’s legacy (dare I call it colonial?) of due process of law, including audi alterem partem (hear the other side).
“If I am charged, I will have a fair trial and the panel will reach a conclusion, consistent with the DA and South Africa’s constitution.”
THE CONTROVERSIES SHE’S FACED IN THE PAST
In 2012 she sparked an outcry when she referred to learners from the Eastern Cape who’d relocated to the Western Cape as “refugees”.
Even fast-food outfit Nando’s weighed in on that social media faux pas, sassily inviting her to try a “tastier alternative to the foot in your mouth”.
In 2011, annoyed after South African soul singer Simphiwe Dana called Cape Town a racist city, Zille lashed out, referring to the performer as a “professional black”.
Zille offended atheists when she argued that non-believers “have killed hundreds of millions” and used the murderous tyrant Joseph Stalin – leader of the former Soviet Union – as an example.
Last year she caused an outcry when she suggested funding should be withdrawn from University of Cape Town students taking part in the Fees Must Fall protests.
She also waded into the debate after a story hit the headlines about a couple who were described as “two blacks” on a bill at a Cape Town restaurant they’d patronised. EXTRA SOURCES: HUFFINGTONPOST.CO.ZA, NEWS24.COM, TIMESLIVE.CO.ZA, POLITICSWEB.CO.ZA, SUNDAYTIMES.CO.ZA, DAILYMAVERICK.CO.ZA