Speaker says Wednesday is D-day on Zille tweet debate

A decision on whether Western Cape Premier Helen Zille’s tweets about colonialism will be the topic of a public debate will be made on Wednesday.

The speaker of the Western Cape legislature‚ Sharna Fernandez‚ said she would make the decision after meeting her senior team‚ which includes deputy speaker Piet Pretorius.

• There are no sacred cows in the DA says Mmusi MaimaneDA Leader Mmusi Maimane is not mincing his words on Western Cape Premier Helen Zille's stormy tweet praising colonialism.

The leader of the opposition in the legislature‚ acting ANC provincial chairman Khaya Magaxa‚ wrote to Fernandez on Monday asking for an urgent debate on Zille’s tweets.

• Call for Zille's colonial tweets to be debated in WC legislatureThe ANC in the Western Cape wants the provincial legislature to debate Premier Helen Zille’s colonial tweets.

But Fernandez said any snap debate had to be on a pressing matter. “It has to be considered something like a disaster. Something huge that affects the lives of many people and that would require an immediate decision to be made.”

• Zille says the DA is copying the ANC's racial agendaWestern Cape Premier Helen Zille has turned on her own party‚ saying that the Democratic Alliance risks falling prey to “African racial nationalism”.

Magaxa said Zille’s tweets were part her campaign to “attack people of colour‚ insult citizens‚ smooth over colonialism‚ renege on her oath to uphold the constitution ... and embarrass our legislature‚ province and country”.

Last Thursday‚ Magaxa tried to question Zille about the tweets during a committee meeting but she declined‚ saying it was not the correct platform.

The tweets have landed Zille in trouble with the DA‚ which is investigating her with a view to an internal disciplinary process.

TMG Digital/TimesLIVE