‘I realise the wounds of history that my tweet and subsequent defence of it have opened,’ Zille said.
Western Cape Premier Helen Zille apologised to South Africans over her tweets praising colonialism, adding her actions undermined Mmusi Maimane’s party leadership.
“I realise the wounds of history that my tweet and subsequent defence of it have opened. In particular, I recognise that my actions were insensitive to South Africans who suffered under colonial oppression. For this, I am genuinely sorry,” said Zille in a joint briefing with Maimane in Rosebank, in Johannesburg.
Her tweets, praising aspects of colonialism, drew widespread criticism, with calls to the Democratic Alliance to fire Zille.
Zille added everyone should get behind Maimane’s leadership.
“During this period, I made public utterances that had the effect of undermining the leader of the DA and the project he is leading. I greatly regret this … Mmusi Maimane is a democratically elected leader of the DA, and we must all get behind him.”
Last week, Maimane announced Zille’s party membership had been suspended, but Zille was quick to point out he had flouted the party’s constitution by not giving her a chance to make representations.
The party later backtracked, saying Zille was still to submit reasons why she should not be suspended.
Maimane also announced that Zille would no longer partake in any party activities, and instead, remain only as DA leader of the Western Cape government.
Maimane says Zille, unlike President Zuma, did not break the law.
“I think it would be unfortunate if we got into a discussion of saying what Zuma is doing and what Zille’s views are, are exactly the same. [President] Jacob Zuma has been found to have violated the constitution by the Constitutional court.”
“Believe you me, if the same finding was found about Zille in a Constitutional Court this would not be the discussion we are having today. The work that Helen is doing in government must continue, and certainly in the next 18 months, which I think is her term of office that is left, we must continue to ensure that we achieve the objectives we set out in the Western Cape,” explains Maimane.
[Source: The Citizen]
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