South Africa's primary opposition political party has formally charged its onetime leader with misconduct afterward a serial of social media posts where she suggested colonialism brought benefits to the country.
Helen Zille, the ex-head of the Democratic Alliance (DA) political party too the electrical flow premier of the Western Cape province, could locomote expelled for final month's tweets, which
prompted world outcry from opponents too those inside her ain party.
"For those claiming legacy of colonialism was ONLY negative, mean value of our independent judiciary, carry infrastructure, piped water," Zille had written.
In a statement, DA leader Mmusi Maimane on Dominicus said Zille had "violated the party's federal constitution past times acting inwards a agency which has brought the political party into disrepute". He also told reporters that disciplinary proceedings had begun against Zille, merely she would non locomote suspended during the investigation.
"Our political party has ever stood for the regulation of liberty of speech. This example is non close liberty of speech. Our political party has stood for South Africans from all walks of life," Maimane said.
"People tin limited a sentiment merely does that sentiment produce impairment or harm to the interests of the organisation, which is what this is," he added.
Zille, who apologised for the tweets inwards mid-March, responded to the charges on Twitter, saying: "I convey exclusively 1 comment: I volition abide past times due too fair procedure of SA too DA constitution too the dominion of law"
The DA, which won 22 pct of the vote inwards 2014's full general election, has been gaining popularity too trying to shed its ikon every bit a "white" political party earlier 2019's presidential election.
It promotes itself every bit a liberal equal-opportunity party, merely efforts to broaden its appeal with dark voters convey been wound past times social media scandals, too the political party has struggled to acquaint itself every bit a credible option to the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
The ANC's Western Cape constituent said inwards a contention that for dark members of the DA "uncertainty remains on where the political party stands on racism too on the treatment of white too powerful leaders.
"Maimane has non shown the same passion inwards putting South Africans start inwards a higher house Helen Zille who single-handedly set him where he is," it said. "The DA should convey suspended Helen Zille every bit premier."
'Strong case'
If the DA upholds the misconduct accuse against Zille, sanctions could include temporary suspension, a fine of upward to $3,700, community service or permanent expulsion from the party.
Maimane said that at that topographic point is "preliminary show that at that topographic point is a potent example to locomote made".
"I've got to construct an organisation that reflects South Africans. In that instance, Premier Zille has the right to answer," he said.
He added that it would locomote "incorrect" to say Zille is racist, proverb "that's non the soul I know."
South Africa was colonised past times the Dutch too British for close 300 years. The province too then experienced white-minority dominion nether apartheid, which ended inwards 1994.