DA to investigate Schweizer Reneke, Zille’s tweets and other issues used ‘to exploit racial divisions’

At a meeting of the Democratic Alliance (DA) federal council over the weekend which led to the election of Helen Zille as the council’s new chair, various resolutions were adopted, including one which sees the party investigating “issues” which were “used to exploit racial divisions”.

Zille has confirmed that one of these issues will be her controversial tweets on colonialism.

She said the investigation will look into “the reaction of various entities including social media manipulation on Ashwin Willemse, whiteness as the root cause of South Africa’s problems, [the] Patricia de Lille issue, the legacy of colonialism, whatever. All the stuff that has divided us”.

It was resolved that “an investigation, the membership of which is approved by the federal executive, be undertaken under the leadership of Refiloe Nt’sekhe, deputy federal chairperson, into the events surrounding the party’s reaction to the event at Schweizer Reneke and the party’s reaction to this as well as other issues highlighted on page 6 of the review that were used to exploit racial divisions”.

It was also resolved that “such investigation reports must be tabled before the federal council”.

READ MORE: Suspended Schweizer-Reneke teacher turns to courts

It is likely the investigation will see DA youth leader Luyolo Mphiti face scrutiny alongside Zille.

It was reported that AfriForum-affiliated union Solidarity wanted Mphiti to apologise for “sowing racial divisions” and his supposed role in getting teacher Elana Barkhuizen suspended. This after a picture taken by her, which appeared to show pupils at North West school Schweizer Reneke divided among racial lines, went viral. The racial segregation of learners was denied by the school and another picture of the same pupils, this time racially mixed, was circulated.

Mphiti denied playing a role in Barkhuizen’s suspension or having sowed racial divisions.

“I reacted to a picture four hours after it went viral. I was hugely concerned by media reports of alleged racism at this particular school. Shortly thereafter I released a statement stating I would visit the school to seek answers, which I did the following day, and stated that the matter must be investigated and members of the community must remain calm,” he said.

“I’m not under investigation the party’s handling of the matter will be. I am not able to give comment on the matter please refer all questions to Solly Malatsi as the national spokesperson,” was Mphiti’s response to questions from The Citizen.

Malatsi had not yet responded for requests for comment at the time of going to print and we will update this article with his response once it is received.

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