Suspended DA MPL in the Eastern Cape, Nqaba Bhanga, said he had been instructed not to speak about racism allegations he made against the party’s Federal Council chairperson, Helen Zille, or his suspension, with the media.
This, after the DA on Tuesday resolved to suspend him from all party activities. Commenting to the Cape Times on Tuesday, Bhanga said the letter “instructed him to not comment at this point”.
The DA said the decision to suspend Bhanga was unanimously taken by the party’s Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) in the Eastern Cape.
Provincial leader Andrew Whitfield said the notice of intention to suspend was delivered to Bhanga by the sheriff of the court, and via email, on Monday.
“Bhanga made written representations as to why he should not be suspended after making use of social media to label the DA’s Federal Council chairperson, Helen Zille, a ‘racist’ and making other unfounded allegations without evidence.
“After considering all the arguments made by Bhanga, the PEC found his arguments to be without merit and made his suspension official.
“The party’s Federal Legal Commission is now investigating Bhanga’s conduct as well as his allegations, and the matter is out of the hands of the DA in the Eastern Cape,” said Whitfield.
He added that the DA was “deeply disappointed” by Bhanga’s conduct, which was contrary to the party’s constitution and his previous commitment to the party and to non-racialism.
In his Facebook post at the weekend, Bhanga accused Zille of being a “racist” who worked with the ANC against him. He further accused her of keeping a file on “all black people in the party”.
“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 Bhanga’s suspension, Zille on Tuesday refused to comment. Political analyst Dr Levy Ndou said Bhanga’s suspension was to be expected as he opted to take the matter to social media, as opposed to raising it internally.
“It was expected. There is a general concern when it comes to how leaders make comments on social media.
Sometimes it might not be to harm the party, but the question is the platform. This was supposed to be an internal matter.
Whether Zille is racist or not, he should have raised it with the party leaders for investigation.
“This behaviour has the potential to raise many questions about the party and Zille as a leader, it's something that should have been raised internally. Then again of course the party is no stranger to such allegations,” he said.
Cape Times