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Johannesburg – Black First Land First (BLF) has laid a charge of racism against Western Cape premier Helen Zille at the Hillbrow Police station on Saturday.
This after Zille, in a series of tweets on March 16, tweeted “For those claiming legacy of colonialism was ONLY negative, think of our independent judiciary, transport infrastructure, piped water ect.”
"Would we have had a transition into specialised health care and medication without colonial influence? Just be honest, please," she later said.
In a statement, BLF spokesperson Zanele Lwana said Zille has not shown real remorse for her "crimes".
"Zille has committed the crime of racism with impunity, secured in the knowledge that the anti-black neo-colonial post-1994 settlement has served to keep whites in power,” he said.
Asked for comment, Democratic Alliance spokesperson Phumzile Van Damme said the party's position on Zille’s tweets has not changed.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane previously said Zille's statement does not reflect official party policy. He referred the incident to the party's internal disciplinary processes.
The party's disciplinary chairperson Glynnis Breytenbach met with Zille on Saturday as part of her investigation.
Breytenbach told News24 that she has written a report to the DA's federal executive to consider.
"It is now in their hands to decide whether charges should made in which case they can refer it back to us [the disciplinary committee] to make recommendations on the charges," she said.
Breytenbach could confirm whether a date has been set for the federal executive to consider her report.
