It is racist for people to claim that the DA's pre-election "Stop Zuma" campaign was a campaign against black people, DA leader and Western Cape Premier Helen Zille said at the provincial parliament on Thursday.
Zille was addressing the issue of "deep divisions" in the province during a response to criticism of her State of the Province address. Earlier this week, opposition parties were given the chance to respond to her speech. On Thursday, it was Zille's turn.
"We have to move in this country from the notion when one person who happens to be white, criticises someone who happens to be black, we cry racism," Zille said.
"We reject the notion that criticism of one person is the criticism of everybody. That is racial nationalism," she said.
| 'It is wrong to suggest that 'Stop Zuma' was an attack on black people' |
Zille said she was "very aware" of the deep divisions in the province, adding that the DA would be a party of addition not of divisions. Her party's elections campaign slogans like "One Nation, One Future" pointed to this.
The ANC's Garth Strachan interjected: "Stop Zuma?"
Zille responded that the "Stop Zuma" drive was not racist.
"It is wrong to suggest that 'Stop Zuma' was an attack on black people."
Meanwhile, Zille is considering taking legal action against those who continually label her a racist.
"When they are calling me a racist they are not just insulting me, that's not the point. What they are doing is delegitimising criticism and demonising anybody who stands up to the ANC," she told the Cape Argus last night.
Zille triggered a seemingly endless torrent of abuse from the ANC's alliance partners recently, after she responded to a Cape Argus article regarding the composition of her cabinet.
Additional reporting by Ella Smook.
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