JOHANNESBURG – The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) has called for Democratic Alliance Western Cape premier Helen Zille to be fired.

Zille’s suspension by the DA federal executive (FedEx) “is a sham”, Sanco national spokesman Jabu Mahlangu said on Saturday.

“We are unimpressed with Zille’s suspension because DA disciplinary processes are cover-ups,” said Mahlangu.

“As they have done with the Dianne Kohler-Barnard, Chris Roberts and Ramsay cases, the federal executive council is simply going to deliver a verdict that will massage her racist ego and reassure the right-wing inner circle that the party is still their comfort zone,” he said.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane announced Zille had been suspended from all DA-related activities pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing.

Briefing the media following the DA’s two-day FedEx meeting in Johannesburg, Maimane said the meeting had considered the matter concerning Zille that was currently before the DA’s federal legal commission (FLC).

READ: Helen Zille suspended; refuses to apologise for comments

The DA’s leadership has charged Zille with violating the DA constitution.

The FLC has found that Zille, a former DA leader, has a case to answer over her tweets earlier this year in which she said colonialism had had some benefits for the country.

Maimane said that to ensure the DA focused on building one nation with one future, he had been working to resolve this matter using all available means.

Zille responded to her suspension by saying it contradicted the DA’s constitution.

She said had received from the chairman of the party’s federal executive, James Selfe, which had given her until 6 June to give reasons she should not be suspended until the outcome of her disciplinary hearing.

The DA responded by saying she had been notified of its “intention to temporarily suspend her from party activities”.

African News Agency