ANC turns up heat on Zille

Cape Town - 120828 - The DA is hosted an “On the Couch” interactive discussion with DA Leader Helen Zille, COPE President Mosiuoa Lekota and DA Parliamentary Leader Lindiwe Mazibuko themed “South Africa at the Crossroads” at the District Six Museum in Cape Town. Mosiuoa Lekota is holding the Constitution of South Africa. Reporter: Sibusiso Nkomo Picture: David Ritchie

Cape Town - 120828 - The DA is hosted an “On the Couch” interactive discussion with DA Leader Helen Zille, COPE President Mosiuoa Lekota and DA Parliamentary Leader Lindiwe Mazibuko themed “South Africa at the Crossroads” at the District Six Museum in Cape Town. Mosiuoa Lekota is holding the Constitution of South Africa. Reporter: Sibusiso Nkomo Picture: David Ritchie

Published Nov 22, 2012

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Cape Town - The ANC in the Western Cape has laid a charge of incitement against Premier Helen Zille, accusing her of “fanning and fuelling the flames” during the recent farmworkers’ strike.

The ANC’s Kobus Grobler said a charge was laid at Cape Town central police station on Wednesday and that the party had asked investigators to look into Zille’s posts on Twitter.

 ANC provincial secretary Songezo Mjongile, provincial legislature chief whip Pierre Uys and Boland party chair Pat Marran laid the charge at the Cape Town central police station at 1pm.

The party wanted the state to investigate the “intentions” behind Zille’s actions during recent protests by farmworkers in the Boland.

The ANC criticised Zille for her conduct and social networking messages during this time.

Zille’s spokesman, Zak Mbhele, said she was innocent of any incitement: “The ANC is making a big song-and-dance about a non-issue. Nothing that the Premier tweeted could be read as inciting violence. The really inflammatory statements were those made by Tony Ehrenreich, Marius Fransman and Tina Joemat-Pettersson when they were in De Doorns.

Mbhele confirmed that Zille was not contacted about the charge laid against her. He said no counter action was planned as the charges were “spurious and without substance”.

Meanwhile, Cosatu has called on the ANC and opposition parties to table a motion of no confidence against Zille, the trade union said on Wednesday.

Cosatu provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich said Zille admitted to knowing about the upcoming protests in the agricultural sector and still did not call farmers and labour together to deal with the threat and mitigate the risk. This was a dereliction of duty which had led to the deaths of two people, and the loss of millions of rands and investor confidence in the agricultural sector, he said.

Zille said the DA would welcome a debate on Cosatu’s proposal.

Cape Argus

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