WATCH | Five public figures who have slammed Helen Zille's 'black privilege' tweet

20 May 2019 - 13:24 By Cebelihle Bhengu
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Media personalities Pearl Thusi and Hlomla Dandala, author Zakes Mda, former public protector Thuli Madonsela and finance minister Tito Mboweni have all taken to Twitter to call out Helen Zille on her "black privilege" tweet that she posted on Friday.

Zille got into trouble for saying that black people - like some white South Africans - are privileged, attributing this to politicians who are alleged to be corrupt and to have looted billions from the state. 

She was initially responding to a video circulating on Twitter of an American poet who was addressing white privilege. Zille asked why she spoke English. 

Her statements have sparked conversations on colonialism, how black people were forced to learn to speak English due to oppression, as well as white people being the beneficiaries of colonialism - the phenomenon known as white privilege.

Here's what these public figures had to say in response to Zille:

Hlomla Dandala: white privilege vs black privilege 

Thuli Madonsela: 'Don't brand blacks as political pretenders and looters'

Pearl Thusi:  'Stop using corruption to excuse apartheid'

Zakes Mda: 'Africans were forced to learn English'

Tito Mboweni: 'Stop tweeting, Helen'


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