Hlomla Dandala. Picture: Supplied
Democratic Alliance (DA) Western Cape Premier Helen Zille appears to have somehow rubbed actor Hlomla Dandala the wrong way at some point.
Two responses from the actor suggest he has not taken a liking to the DA premier.
Dandala was responding to Zille’s tweets on a rare R6 million painting that went missing when ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule was still premier of the Free State.
Zille tweeted a question as to how one could rock up at an auction with a R6 million painting without the auctioneer asking questions.
“I hope that if I rocked up to auction a rare R6-million Pierneef, the auctioneer would ask some questions. But are you saying that it is fine to steal and not have questions asked, on the basis of race? Help me here?”
Dandala agreed with the premier before adding his own view on the matter.
“Valid point. I too hope that if I rocked a “For Sale” sign on land I stole, the auctioneer would ask some questions. Unless we are saying it is fine to steal and not have questions asked, on the basis of race. Please help me too.”
This was not the end of the social media showdown as another tweet by Zille was also met with equal and more vigour from the thespian.
Zille tweeted: “Am I missing something? Ace Magashule gifted a painting he knew he didn’t own, to his bodyguard, who then tried to sell it through Strauss&Co. How-come they only discovered their “honest mistake” when the auctioneers queried how he came to be in possession of a R6-million Pierneef?
Dandala responded by raising a land question to Zille, asking how Europe could gift land they didn’t own to settlers.
“Am I missing something? Europe gifted land they knew they didn’t own, to settlers, who then leveraged this land to raise capital. How come banks haven’t discovered this “dishonest mistake” even as black people query how Europeans came to be in possession of billions worth of land.”
The actor was asked if he was condoning theft with regards to the painting that went missing under Magashule’s watch.
He said: “You mistake my intention. I detest theft. But I won’t be told about the ills of theft by someone who has defended systematic theft and lives off the benefits of that theft. Ace was wrong. Very. But Helen lost her right to point that out when she defended colonization.”
(Compiled by Gopolang Chawane)
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.