Western Cape Premier Helen Zille's response to a tweet on white privilege from local singer Danny K has once again landed her in hot water with Twitter users.
Last Friday the singer tweeted: "I'm totally bewildered with the lack of empathy shown by many white South Africans. You don't need to be woke to get that for the most part we have benefited from the marginalisation and exclusion of people of colour. Own your priveldge, appreciate it and pay it forward".
On Monday Zille replied to his tweet saying the singer should get 'some spelling lessons', igniting a storm of criticism. Twitter users slammed the veteran politician for ignoring the very real issues the tweet raised.
Such arrogance coming from Helen Zille should not surprise anyone, she giving spelling lessons yet her party @Our_DA have matriculants and university dropouts! https://t.co/A8iClYzosa
— Sean "Mr G" Goss (@GosSgafc) March 12, 2019
First of all you missed the point & after realising that you go on to be insensitive about the reality of socio-economic inequalities in this country most of which stem from the marginalisation of indigenous Africans but continue to favor European Africans like yourself. pic.twitter.com/II3W5AhdqW
— GLOSSATOR ACCURSIUS (@GACCURSIUS) March 12, 2019
Helen no please pic.twitter.com/SIPCUQvF0l
— snuggles (@oleratomafojan1) March 12, 2019
When Danny K attempts to address or confront racism and poverty in the Western Cape then the DA s leader there Helen Zille dismisses it with ill-bred and churlish derision. Don't worry Danny K, South Africa s got your back boet.
— Grant Son (@GrantSon1) March 12, 2019
Many users branded Zille a racist while some questioned whether her controversial tweets were just a way of garnering attention.
Helen Zille makes a sport out of being on the wrong side of history.
— Fragile by Design. (@KgosiLesedi) March 12, 2019
#DannyK Helen Zille is Donald Trump in a dress with mildly better hair.
— Cheryl (@Joziqueen66) March 12, 2019
Since Helen Zille's endorsement of the white genocide conspiracy theory yesterday this article from 2016 is suddenly trending on enc. pic.twitter.com/1ydnVgouv9
— Ex Post Facto (@ex_post_facto) March 12, 2019
Helen Zille is a raging racist and over the past couple of years she has been having a really tough time holding it in.
She is bursting at the seams now.
— Lelo (@Chef_Lelo) March 12, 2019
Helen Zille is a hater bully
— #Ngiyazikhulumela (@ntsikimazwai) March 12, 2019
Whenever Helen Zille is trending I know it's never a good situation... Sometimes I think she does it for attention or maybe she more tactcial than I think.
— Lindo (@LindoMngadi) March 12, 2019
A number of Twitter users said Zille's response was indicative of what the DA, the opposition party which she previously led and is still a senior member of, stood for.
Many people referred to a front page article in Tuesday's Cape Argus headlined "
which states that none of the R62.5 million budgeted by the City of Cape Town for public lighting in the 2019/20 financial year will go to Khayelitsha. This despite a 2014 commission of inquiry into policing in the township finding that a lack of adequate street lights contributed to crime in the area.
Helen Zille has got lip for all the issues in the country except for those in her constituency https://t.co/OzzBNa5zRW
— Daniel Mokoena (@BroughamSmith) March 12, 2019
How can someone live in Cape Town and not see the disparity between white and black people? Looks like Helen Zille is one of those people who doesn't see colour. 🙄I wonder who Helen Zille thinks created the conditions for this disparity in Cape Town and South Africa as a whole. https://t.co/oRZqQwSAAm
— Abigail_🇿🇦 (@GlassPearl) March 12, 2019
You mean the ones who believe people are refugees in their own country, the ones who believe that colonialism was good, the ones who believe that they don’t have white privilege, the racism denialist? This makes me feel very angry at all black people who vote the DA. Nxa!
— Independent minded (@refugee_too) March 12, 2019
Helen Zille's reply to the Danny K tweet tells you exactly what the DA stands for.
Now go vote the DA. Bye pic.twitter.com/ems9dinVNp
— Arrest LAND Thieves✊🏿 (@BadimoPele) March 12, 2019
Helen Zille ke Moloi, guys whatever we do let's not vote for DA. 👍🏽
— Her Baeness (@malkhonya) March 12, 2019