It’s been three months since Helen Zille last set Twitter aflame with some borderline racist comment, so clearly we were overdue for another off-colour tweet from the Western Cape premier.
On Thursday morning Zille delivered with this gem, implying that the only way to advance technologically is by (a) being European or (b) being colonised by Europeans.
For those claiming legacy of colonialism was ONLY negative, think of our independent judiciary, transport infrastructure, piped water etc.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) March 16, 2017
She didn’t even stop there.
Would we have had a transition into specialised health care and medication without colonial influence? Just be honest, please.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) March 16, 2017
And then it was on.
The local Twittersphere promptly lost its mind.
Helen Zille is low key telling us that apartheid did us all a favour pic.twitter.com/k1TWpiwXPP
— T U M I (@TeEis_KING) March 16, 2017
Helen Zille is basically saying we should be grateful that Colonialism brought us Piped Water even if it would have killed us all. pic.twitter.com/mnVtQ4aU54
— IG:AdvBarryRoux (@Barry_Roux) March 16, 2017
Helen Zille: Y’all should be happy about piped water even though you don’t have piped water. pic.twitter.com/woyLUu2EC7
— mnyamito (@neosoulo__) March 16, 2017
@helenzille At least be an educated racist Helen, the Khoikhoi were the first to supply healthcare to dying europeans on ships at the cape.
— milisuthando (@missmillib) March 16, 2017
Things got taken to the next level when someone called into presenter Eusebius McKaiser’s Radio 702 talk show to support both Zille and colonialism. Just to spice things up, he threw in some homophobic comments while he was there too.
Caller supporting Hellen Zille’s claims on colonialism glory just told @Eusebius to stop being a FAGGOT on live radio. Sweet mother!!
— xhanti (@XhantiPayi) March 16, 2017
@Eusebius That racist, homophobic caller & Zille’s comment has me… pic.twitter.com/J8WnkO5dSz
— Hilton George (@hgeorgeza) March 16, 2017
It wasn’t long before the Democratic Alliance’s Mmusi Maimane and Phumzile Van Damme stepped in to do some damage control.
Let’s make this clear: Colonialism, like Apartheid, was a system of oppression and subjugation. It can never be justified.
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) March 16, 2017
Colonialism was a crime against humanity. There isn’t a single aspect of it that can be said to be positive or beneficial to Africans.
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) March 16, 2017
People quickly pointed out that neither Maimane nor Van Damme had bothered to tag Zille in their tweets.
If Maimane was the REAL leader of the @Our_DA, this tweet would have been directed fearlessly at colonial apologist @helenzille. https://t.co/TI11co283e
— Benedick M Louw (@benedicklouw) March 16, 2017
.@zilevandamme Why do you not tag Helen Zille and address her directly, Phumzile ? You and @MmusiMaimane ? What subtweet her??
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) March 16, 2017
Will Helen Zille stop tweeting ignorant racist tweets ? pic.twitter.com/Aleg1wrkM2
— RSA Min of Sport (@MbalulaFikile) March 16, 2017
Meanwhile, Zille low-key apologised.
I apologise unreservedly for a tweet that may have come across as a defence of colonialism. It was not.
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) March 16, 2017
Which really didn’t fool anybody.
Basically Helen Zille now 🙄 pic.twitter.com/bPzPJNQEHJ
— Monique Mortlock (@MoniqueMortlock) March 16, 2017
Maimane later spoke on McKaiser’s show, and said that the matter has been referred to the DA’s disciplinary structures.
At some point, @Our_DA should consider suspending Helen Zille. It can’t be that they approve of this bile she spews all the time
— Gcugcwa (@Mndeni361) March 16, 2017
So, any bets on how long it’ll be before Zille’s next Twitterbomb?