Munier interviewed Helen Zille a couple of years back — it was a sit-down Q&A that lasted nearly two hours.
He arrived at the Madam’s chambers in Wale Street ready for
battle, armed with a list of tough questions.
The Iron Lady proved to be a steely adversary, though, and showed her mettle.
Munier posed questions on key issues: housing, crime, transformation, even the poo protests that had kicked up a stink at the time.
He was impressed by the Premier’s detailed knowledge on all of the subjects.
Instead of directing Munier to the relevant department spokespeople for answers, Zille was able to call on data from memory and go into the nitty gritty of complex issues.
She was even able to describe the kind of chemicals used in porta-loos!
Zille is a stats machine and would be a fierce opponent in any debate.
Whether all her answers were 100% factual or not, the Premier succeeded in talking Munier’s kop dronk.
Munier walked out of the interview tail between his legs, thinking “ Yoh, that’s one sharp lady”.
So it was with shock and disappointment that Munier read Zille’s controversial tweet last week.
“For those claiming the legacy of colonialism was ONLY negative, think of our independent judiciary, transport infrastructure, piped water, etc.”
Now, let’s forget about the outrage her post caused for a minute.
Let’s forget she offended the victims of colonialism — about 80% of the population of this country.
Let’s forget she pissed off her own party, which for years now has been trying to shake off its “racist white” tag.
And let’s forget DA leader Mmusi Maimane has now hauled Zille to the party’s federal legal commission over her comments.
How can such a smart woman, a journalist, a political leader - who should be choosing every word carefully — say something so idiotic?
For clarity’s sake: colonialism is defined as “the policy of acquiring political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically”.
“Transport infrastructure” and “piped water” (which were denied to non-whites during colonial times, by the way) have nothing to do with colonialism.
These are products of technological advancements and can be found all over the world - not only in
former colonies.
And our “independent judiciary” which locked up political activists on Robben Island?
And incarcerated Steve Biko to be murdered in prison? (Zille should know all about this - she was the star reporter on the case.)
Was this a positive of
colonialism?
Munier knows all about colonialism — as a descendent of Cape Malay slaves, who were shipped in as skilled artisans to build some of the beautiful Dutch architecture and infrastructure we see in the Cape today.
Do we thank colonialism for this too? It’s enough to make one’s slave blood boil.
Zille has since issued a one-liner, saying sorry “unreservedly for a tweet that may have come across as a defence of colonialism”.
Not exactly a sincere, heartfelt apology, is it?
The scandal has come at a bad time — Human Rights Day was on Tuesday.
Then on Wednesday, the Western Cape government confirmed the sale of the Tafelberg property in Sea Point.
Cabinet decided the site, in the heart of DA-land, was “not ideally suited for affordable housing” and the R135m from the sale would go to “deal(ing) with more pressing matters”.
Really? Like what? Building another Blikkiesdorp?
It’s a massive blow for land activists campaigning to reverse the city’s apartheid spatial planning.
Eish...
Seriously, what’s going on in Zille’s head?
Is she showing her “true colours”, as some say?
Is she becoming senile?
Has all the botox gone to her brain?
Is she suffering from a social media disease where, as soon as she logs in, she turns into a Twitter troll, or a “Donna Trump”?
Has she become so obsessed with her hatred for the ANC government that she no longer cares if her words hurt the people she serves?
There are lots of reasons to hate the ruling party — the corruption, the incompetence and arrogance.
But if this is the case, then Zille is no longer fit to lead the people of this province.