SAHRC to probe Zille's tweets

Former DA leader Helen Zille has landed in more hot water over her tweets last month in which she defended aspects of colonialism.

Yesterday, the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) confirmed that it had received numerous complaints countrywide over the tweets.

The commission said her tweets might have been in violation of the right to human dignity.

SAHRC acting provincial manager Tammy Carter said the commission would notify Zille of the fresh probe next week.

“The SAHRC has elected to deal with the matter as an own initiative complaint in terms of our complaints-handling procedures,” Carter said.

“The complaint will not be investigated as hate speech, but as a potential violation of human dignity.”

Zille’s tweets have also prompted the DA to formally press disciplinary charges against her, and a hearing yet has to be determined.

She was flying back to Cape Town following an official visit to Japan and Singapore when she highlighted Singapore’s achievements, despite its history of colonialism and Japanese occupation during World War II.

“For those claiming the legacy of colonialism was only negative, think of our independent judiciary, transport infrastructure, piped water, etc,” Zille tweeted on March 16.

“Would we have had a transition into specialised health care and medication without colonial influence?

“Just be honest, please,” Zille fired off in a second tweet.