Zille rubbishes Mpofu’s allegation that she said she ‘suffered more under apartheid’ than Mashaba

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) national chairperson Dali Mpofu lashed out at newly-elected Democratic Alliance (DA) federal chair Helen Zille on Twitter on Monday morning, following comments she made in an interview with eNCA.

“Did [Helen Zille] REALLY suggest that SHE suffered more under apartheid white minority rule than [Herman Mashaba and] black people like him??” Mpofu tweeted.

“Which planet does she come from?

“Did Mashaba go to whites-only schools, vote in whites-only elections, eat at whites-only restaurants, etc?”

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Zille dismissed Mpofu’s tweet as a “pathetic, transparent attempt” at “manufacturing outrage”. She denies having said what Mpofu claimed.

The EFF chairperson was referring to Zille’s reacting on eNCA to allegations from the DA’s Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba, who has alleged that “right-wingers” have infiltrated the DA. The mayor has since resigned following Zille’s election.

Zille denied being a “right-winger” and highlighted things she had done during apartheid, while Mashaba was “making a fortune in business”.

“I’ve been with the party since the progressives many many years ago, and Herman will always remember that when he was being a very, very successful businessman, and I take my hat off to him for being an entrepreneur and a highly successful in days when there were huge obstacles in his path.

“But he will remember that while he was making a fortune in business, I was hiding Umkhonto we Sizwe operatives in my house, and I was exposing the murder of Steve Biko, so I’m not sure who these right-wingers are who he’s referring to,” Zille said.

Did @helenzille REALLY suggest that SHE suffered more under apartheid white minority rule than @HermanMashaba & black people like him??

Which planet does she come from?

Did Mashaba go to whites-only schools,vote in whites-only elections,eat at whites-only restaurants,etc…??👀

— Dali Mpofu (@AdvDali_Mpofu) October 21, 2019

No, of course not. Another complete distortion for the purpose of manufacturing outrage. Pathetic, transparent attempt.

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) October 21, 2019

At a press conference at the Johannesburg city council on Monday morning, Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba announced his resignation, effective on November 27.

Mashaba said he had no “political aspirations” when he was approached to run for the mayorship.

“I deeply regret that the DA I signed up to, is the one which emerged from this weekend’s meeting,” he said.

“The election of Zille stands in opposition with the people I represent and the majority of the South Africans,” he continued.

He accused his own party of being the “most difficult” in his coalition government in Johannesburg.

The mayor said some in his coalition “would rather spend time cutting grass than fixing infrastructure”.

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman. Background reporting, News24 Wire.) 

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