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By Daniel Friedman

Digital news editor


Zille slams ‘hysteria’ following her call for a tax revolt

The Cape Town premier questioned Outa on their 'hypocritical' refusal to back her proposed tax rebellion.


On Saturday, Helen Zille took to Twitter to call for a tax revolt if those who had been implicated in wrongdoing at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture were not prosecuted and jailed in a “reasonable amount of time”.

The call provoked a backlash, which the Cape Town premier has since taken to Twitter again to dismiss as “hysteria”. According to Zille, South African history has a variety of examples of tax revolts “from the Bambata rebellion [sic] to the e-tolls boycott”.

The Bambatha rebellion saw Zulu chief Bambatha kaMancinza lead his clan, amaZondi, in a rebellion against British rule and taxation in 1906.

The more recent e-tolls boycott saw organisations, parties, unions, and citizens band together to resist paying the unpopular, controversial electronic tolling system that has been active since late 2013.

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), however, has since taken to Twitter to express its opposition to a tax revolt, saying the organisation isn’t against paying tax, only against tax abuse.

The organisation’s director, Wayne Duvenage, told Power FM that Zille’s call for a revolt is irresponsible, despite his understanding “the frustration”.

Judge Dennis Davis, who heads the Davis Tax Committee told the radio station the committee has always resisted calls for tax revolts, as “we’re all in one state together”. The radio committee said its purpose was to “assess South Africa’s tax policy framework and its role in supporting the objectives of inclusive growth.”

Zille responded, calling Outa “hypocritical” for not supporting the proposed tax revolt.

The DA, meanwhile, has distanced itself from calls for the tax revolt, with leader Mmusi Maimane saying he doesn’t support it.

Before this, director of communication Mabine Seabe told IOL the party believed in tax as a means of building South Africa and DA MP Phumzile van Damme stressed on Twitter that a tax revolt would go against party policy, as the party believed the “rule of law” was “sacrosanct”.

Despite the social media backlash, with the majority of Twitter users against the idea, some on the platform have expressed support for the proposed revolt.

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