Zille fires back after suspension
Former DA leader Helen Zille has fired back at her party saying it has no right to take action against her before her disciplinary process is concluded.
Her successor Mmusi Maimane earlier today told journalists in Kempton Park the party's Federal Executive Committee resolved to suspend her from "all party related activities" until her hearing is concluded.
"It has become quite fundamentally clear that Premier Zille and I hold different, and fundamentally different attitudes about the direction the Democratic Alliance needs to accomplish in 2019," explains Maimane.
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It follows her tweets in March in which she suggests not everything about colonialism was bad.
But Zille claims Maimane's remarks contradict a letter she recently received from the DA's Federal Executive Chairperson James Selfe.
"In his letter," Zille says in her statement, "Mr Selfe has given me until June 6 to provide reasons why I should not be suspended."
My statement on the FEDEX decision (1 of 2). pic.twitter.com/ZiUdpm340R
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) June 3, 2017
my statement (2 of 2) pic.twitter.com/nNaNZJVFlT
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) June 3, 2017
She adds the decision by the DA's federal executive is not in line with the party's constitution.
Maimane says he also approached the Western Cape Premier and offered her to aplogise for the remarks. He says she refused.
She claims that is not the case.
"I have apologised publicly. What I have not agreed to do is plead guilty to charges of misconduct which I never committed," reads her statement.
Maimane has also called for the disciplinary process to be expedited.
Zille will retain her position as premier, as Maimane explains it is a legislative matter.