DA caucus says Public Protector’s report on Zille must go to ‘another post box’
5 July 2018
Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane's report on Western Cape premier Helen Zille's tweets about colonialism will not be entertained by the Western Cape legislature, DA chief whip Mark Wiley said on Wednesday.
"Unfortunately, the Public Protector seems to have given the impression that she has lodged her document relating to Helen Zille's tweet with the Western Cape legislature. Unfortunately, it is not our jurisdiction," he said during the caucus' quarterly performance briefing.
"If she read the law, she has to give it to another post box," he said.
"The functions of the Western Cape provincial parliament do not include those mentioned in the report's recommendations."
He said the recommendations were, in any event, "outside of the Public Protector's mandate" and Zille was taking it on judicial review.
Zille's spokesperson Michael Mpofu did not respond on Wednesday to requests for the confirmation of the lodging of the court papers.
Zille previously indicated in a statement that she was likely to take the report on judicial review and had already advised Mkhwebane that her finding would be unlawful and irrational.
In 2017, Zille tweeted: "For those claiming legacy of colonialism was ONLY negative, think of our independent judiciary, transport infrastructure etc."
When Mkhwebane released the report last month, she said she had found that Zille's conduct was tantamount to improper conduct in terms of the Constitution.
"The tweet has brought back a lot of pain and suffering to victims of apartheid and colonialism in South Africa. She celebrated the oppression, exploitation, racism and poverty which are the direct results of the legacy of colonialism."
Mkhwebane had directed that the speaker table the report within 30 working days so the provincial legislature could "take appropriate action to hold the premier accountable".
