DA must recall Helen Zille as Western Cape premier, ANC says

The ANC has called on the DA to immediately recall Western Cape premier Helen Zille following her controversial comments on social media, in which she seemed to extol colonialism.

Zille sparked anger on Twitter on Thursday with her comments about the legacy of colonialism.

"For those claiming legacy of colonialism was only negative‚ think of our independent judiciary‚ transport infrastructure‚ piped water etc‚" Zille tweeted.

She later posted an apology. "I apologise unreservedly for a tweet that may have come across as a defence of colonialism. It was not," she said.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane confirmed on Thursday that Zille will face a disciplinary process for her tweets. Maimane distanced himself from the posts and said they were unacceptable. He said Zille had breached the party’s social media policy.

ANC Western Cape spokesperson Yonela Diko said: "Helen Zille has continued to defend every racist … and we call on the DA to act decisively … The ANC Western Cape calls on the DA to recall Helen Zille for her reckless and ignorant claims…." Diko said Zille’s inability to "reconcile" the country’s comprehensive history has, over the years, driven her "to a mental breakdown and this breakdown has been coming slowly…." Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla said the union "rejects and strongly condemns the senseless and thoughtless statements by Zille".

"Colonialism was not about civilising the natives as she seems to suggest, but was about subjugating and killing our people and plundering the resources of our continent," said Pamla.

"The question that needs to be asked is why do so many white people — DA members in particular — feel that they can insult black people with impunity?There is no absolute standard of free speech in any society and no law in life or nature that says a group of people may be insulted with impunity.

"But the DA leadership seems to have claimed this mantle for themselves to insult black people and glorify and idealise the dark past of this country that left many black people dead or indigent." Referring to a string of similar racial controversies involving DA members, Pamla said Zille’s statements "represent a sentiment held by a majority inside the DA".

He said in 2014, DA deputy chief whip Mike Waters circulated a racially offensive picture on Twitter, which depicted ANC voters as dogs lining up to vote for the party, represented by a poster of President Jacob Zuma.

DA MP Dianne Kohler Barnard shared nostalgic comments about apartheid on social media, said Pamla.

"The same Helen Zille has previously referred to black people in the Western Cape as refugees, while a DA councillor called black people ‘dumb idiots that wanted handouts’. We still remember that it was DA Western Cape councillor Theuns Botha, who likened an African ANC MPL Zodwa Magwaza to a baboon. Who will forget that DA Eastern Cape leader Atholl Trollip was exposed as a former slave master, who and his family have a history of abusing and exploiting farm workers in their farm," said Pamla.

Apology 'meaningless'

In a statement on Thursday, the EFF said it rejected Zille's apology.

"The EFF rejects the Premier of Western Cape, Helen Zille's apology following her unconstitutional, racist and and anti-black remarks on social media. After taking to Twitter to argue that 'aspects of colonialism were not bad', Zille apologised for what she says is a 'hurt' her comments may have caused. This means she apologises not because she thinks her idea that aspects colonialism were not bad is wrong, but that this view may hurt others." 

"We call on the DA to remove Zille from premiership following these comments as they demonstrate that she has no appreciation for our democratic dispensation. She has proven that she cannot be entrusted with public office, in defense of our Constitution. No one, from a public office of our hard-won constitutional democratic state must be allowed to freely express such cold-hearted racism," the party said in the statement.

"Her apology is meaningless, because in essence the comments on colonialism represent her true views and the company she keeps. It is a fact that many racist white people sit on dinner tables when black people are not there and express their cold hearted racism; this is what Helen Zille truly is; a cold-hearted racist who believes that colonialism, which was crime against the humanity of black people, is not a bad thing. 

"The DA must demonstrate its commitment to anti-racism by taking hard action and remove Zille from office. She holds serious responsibility and power, presiding over many black people's lives. She must be removed in the name of the democratic order she has insulted and undermined," said the EFF.

With Staff Writer