Zille accused of ‘undermining poor black kids’ on Twitter

Cape Town premier Helen Zille took to Twitter on Saturday in a bid to defend herself against the backlash caused by Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s findings in a recently-released report.

Mkhwebane found that Zille had violated the Executive Members Act by assisting her son to loan tablets from the province’s education department so he could offer extra maths lessons to disadvantaged matric pupils.

Mkhwebane’s report said the former DA leader “exposed” herself to a risk of conflict of interest between her official responsibilities and personal benefit when she involved herself in the process of securing tablets for Western Cape schools.

Zille tweeted a “heart-warming story” about a Philippi pupil, Siphelele Xabendlini, who was named the highest scoring physical science matriculant in the Western Cape, in a bid to show how the free resources she has come under fire for providing benefitted learners.

READ MORE: Full-blown twar rages over PP Mkhwebane’s findings on Zille and son

A twitter user responded:  “I know people who lived in shacks and come top in all subjects without your son’s software. Don’t exonerate yourself from your lack of ethics by undermining poor black kids. It’s witchcraft!”

Zille’s response, “So please list all the kids living in shacks who came top of all the kids in their provinces in mathematics or science. In alphabetical order, please” was met with a backlash.

Those who responded included US Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King. Some also tagged other politicians, including DA leader Mmusi Maimane and MP Phumzile Van Damme and EFF leaders Julius Malema and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.

The Citizen reported yesterday that Twitter was deeply divided over Mkhwebane’s report, with some defending Zille and others accusing her of corruption, with little middle ground.

For those who cannot see how much those free resources benefited learners, just read this heart-warming story, from the kid who lives in a shack and came top in Physics in the Western Cape:https://t.co/NCVZUjfZLy

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) December 21, 2018

I know people who lived in shacks and come top in all subjects without your son's software.Don't exonerate yourself from your lack of ethics by undermining poor black kids. It's witchcraft!

— #FreePalestine 🇿🇦 🇵🇸 (@Sikelela_D) December 21, 2018

So please list all the kids living in shacks who came top of all the kids in their provinces in mathematics or science. In alphabetical order, please.

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) December 21, 2018

Is there a reason why people should vote for your party after reading this tweet?

— Katy Alexander (@nuthinfunnytsay) December 23, 2018

https://twitter.com/shaunking/status/1076743119431974912

https://twitter.com/Zombie_Phil/status/1076715913288867842

@MmusiMaimane @zilevandamme you see this is what we have been telling you

— fellow traveller (@sjoya) December 22, 2018

Im under the impression the DA PR team is on leave,why are the allowing this?

— Tarryn Smith (@iamtarrynsmith) December 23, 2018

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