DA federal chairperson Helen Zille has refuted racism claims made against her by party member Nqaba Bhanga.
This, after Bhanga made the accusation through a Facebook post, labelling Zille a racist on Saturday.
“Helen Zille is the most racist person she got of a file of all back (sic) people.
“Yesterday I learnt how she got information to try to destroy mnrthe (sic) ANC.
“I’m hurt to know that you were working with the ANC against me,” read Bhanga’s post.
Following the post, the DA in the Eastern Cape said it had “unanimously” resolved to serve Bhanga with a notice of intention to suspend him from all party activities pending the outcome of an investigation into claims of bringing the party into disrepute, among other transgressions of the party’s standards of conduct for its members.
Eastern Cape provincial leader, Andrew Whitfield, said the intention to suspend Bhanga came after he posted “unfounded allegations”.
“After receiving the notice of intention to suspend him, Bhanga will have 48 hours to respond in writing with reasons as to why he should not be suspended.
“The PEC has referred the case to the party’s Federal Legal Commission (FLC) for an investigation. The DA in the Eastern Cape is deeply disappointed by Bhanga’s conduct which is contrary to his previous commitment to non-racialism and the party,” said Whitfield.
Zille said the allegations by Bhanga were “totally untrue”.
“I do not know where he lives, “I have never seen his house and I have never discussed his house with anyone from the ANC.”
Bhanga had not responded to requests for comment by deadline on Sunday.
ANC spokesperson in the province, Loyiso Magqashela rubbished Bhanga’s allegations involving the ANC.
“It’s just rubbish and we can’t be involved in their petty things.
“We can’t plot with the DA against Bhanga, he is a nobody.
“Why would we do that? We have our fair share of internal matters so we don’t have time to be plotting against him with the DA, which is also an opposition.
“We can’t be drawn in such a low exercise. We just know Bhanga because he grew up in the ranks of the ANC.
“Each party has their own internal things and we just want to clear our name,” he said.
Political analyst Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast said the issue of racism within the DA was never dealt with.
“They want us to take them seriously, but when we talk about racism they go to denialism.
Bhanga has been talking about non-racialism, all of a sudden now he is saying that there is racism. It shows that the DA has not raised the issue of racism which has been controversial for a while.
“This is a serious indictment, and we have to wait and see how it pans out,” he said.
Cape Times