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The Democratic Alliance has convened a special meeting of the Federal Executive (Fedex) committee to determine the way forward for embattled Western Cape premier Helen Zille.
The meeting takes place amid reports of behind-the-scenes talks between Zille and DA leader Mmusi Maimane.
DA insiders have also said that Maimane wants Zille to step down as premier for the sake of the party.
The meeting was initially reported to be taking place on Sunday April 9, but Fedex chairperson James Selfe said in a statement today that it would take place a week earlier, on Sunday April 2.
Selfe said that the matter needed to be tackled in a face to face meeting, not a telephone conference.
A regular meeting of Fedex was originally scheduled to take place only towards the end of the month.
Selfe is in possession of the report that was handed to Fedex by the party’s Federal Legal Commission’s Glynnis Breytenbach after she completed her investigation and made recommendations on whether to press charges against Zille for bringing the party into disrepute for her controversial tweets about colonialism which were publicly condemned by many members within her own party.
Breytenbach’s “lengthy” report includes her interview with Zille that took place on Saturday.
Zille, meanwhile, will address the Western Cape legislature on Tuesday afternoon during a special debate on her tweets.
Hard as it may be for Zille, she would be wise to take it on the chin and not be defensive during the debate, advised political analyst Daniel Silke.
“Given the views expressed by Maimane already, I think it should be a case of biting the bullet, no matter how unpalatable that may be for Zille,” said Silke.
Maimane had spoken out publicly against Zille’s tweets, and tweeted himself: “Let's make this clear: Colonialism, like Apartheid, was a system of oppression and subjugation. It can never be justified.”
Zille has apologised “if her tweets may have come across as a defence of colonialism” and then went on later to explain her position in an article of more than 3000 words on the Daily Maverick website.
Zille is set to get roasted by political parties such as the ANC and the EFF during the 60-minute debate of national importance which was requested by the ANC.
When asked to comment on the latest developments, Zille said: “I will have a speaking turn in the special debate where I will set out my position. I do not wish to pre-empt that.”
DA Western Cape legislature chief whip Mark Wiley said the names of the three party members who will speak at the debate were unconfirmed. He would not respond to queries about divisions within the party, saying that the matter had been thrashed out during a comprehensive caucus meeting last week.
“It is a topical matter, yes ... We welcome the debate,” he said.
The debate will take place while many DA leaders involved in the Zille matter are abroad. Selfe, Breytenbach and DA spokesperson Phumzile Van Damme are among a group of MPs on a study tour of the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands.
Breytenbach said she would be back on April 10 – the day after the Fedex meeting.
If charges that Zille brought the party into disrepute are pursued, it is up to Breytenbach to convene a disciplinary panel. The maximum sanction of expulsion can be imposed.
Maimane is also out of the country, on a scheduled trip to London, said his spokesperson Mabine Seabe, who would not comment on reports that Maimane was putting pressure on Zille to step down.
Silke said the issue for Maimane was whether to use the Zille matter to demonstrate clearly that he was making a clean break from the old guard views of the DA. However, on the other hand, Zille enjoyed considerable support in key constituencies.
“I would be surprised if we see her forced out, but if she has lost the confidence of her party, she may feel it is time to go,” he said
Silke said it may be prudent to secure a managed exit for Zille rather than a forced exit, and he likened her situation with the predicament of the ANC regarding their controversial president Jacob Zuma. “Calling for her head is not necessarily beneficial,” he said.
A senior DA MP said that the controversy had been a massive blow to all the hard work the party had done to shed its past image and build support among black voters.
“We were doing so well, and had made major inroads. This was a major setback,” said the MP.
• Black First Land First laid a charge of racism against Zille at the Hillbrow Police station at the weekend.
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