Zille will face disciplinary charges for her social media remarks on colonialism, DA leader Mmusi Maimane said yesterday.
“The federal executive met today [Sunday] and made a decision to institute formal disciplinary steps against Ms Helen Zille,” Maimane said.
“This has not been an easy decision to take."
Zille would faces charges of violating the party’s federal constitution by acting in a manner that brought the party into disrepute.
Maimane said the charge was not limited to the series of tweets posted by Zille last month in which she suggested that the legacy of colonialism was “not all bad”.
He had personally laid the complaint that prompted an investigation that led to the decision to charge her.
“I must protect the project and cannot tolerate any action by any person that seeks to undermine it,” Maimane said.
However, the ANC said the fact that Zille would remain in her post as premier while the disciplinary process unfolded is “proof she is above the DA”.
ANC Western Cape spokesman Yonela Diko said the DA missed an opportunity to show the gravity of Zille’s ill-conceived tweets.
“The DA’s decision to take Zille to a party DC [disciplinary committee] fails to bring a measure of relief to the people she has offended, especially if she still enjoys the benefits of power, without any ensuing shame of her shameless act.
“For DA black members uncertainty remains on where the party stands on racism and on the treatment of white and powerful leaders,” Diko said.
“The DA should have suspended Helen Zille as Premier of the Province pending the outcomes of DC.”