Helen Zille infuriates Twitter after defending colonialism

Helen Zille may have been on Twitter for a while, but she still hasn’t acquired the skill of knowing when to put the phone down and go back to bed.

On Thursday morning, the Premier of the Western Cape took to Twitter to let everyone know that not everything about colonialism was bad.

For those claiming legacy of colonialism was ONLY negative, think of our independent judiciary, transport infrastructure, piped water etc.

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) March 16, 2017

Zille has been in politics a long time. She surely understands the dangers of professing that west is best. She could also do a quick Google search and note that colonialism is defined as “the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically”. It is not the same as globalisation, and the sharing of knowledge for a better global society.

Would we have had a transition into specialised health care and medication without colonial influence? Just be honest, please.

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) March 16, 2017

As other Twitter users were quick to point out: Europeans could have easily introduced their knowledge of these sectors without stealing land and killing South Africans.

It was ONLY negative!!Colonialism=development argument is trash as those subjugated can attest to. https://t.co/BY40e2MSsL

— Mbali Ntuli (@mbalimcdust) March 16, 2017

Helen Zille and those who benefited from apartheid claims there’re positives from crime against humanity. Hitler must be her role model! pic.twitter.com/njrFbIpqv2

— Azania Afrika (@SAYoungLion) March 16, 2017

@helenzille “We know your uncle molested you but you should be happy he paid for your education” – Helen Zille 2017 #HelenZille

— Lesego Maake (@Lessegoe) March 16, 2017

Others pointed out that her actions were doing nothing but sabotaging her own party.

Helen Zille is the opposition party of the DA😂😂😂. I feel sorry for Mmusi, Msimanga and Mashaba https://t.co/3n9OrwU7fY

— Phuti Tucker (@_Pootie) March 16, 2017

Helen Zille is sabotaging @MmusiMaimane , Lindiwe did well to get the hell outta town

— Tawanda Henry (@henrybiti) March 16, 2017

After half an hour of backlash, Zille took a step away from the criticism — but she promised to be back in a Trump-like manner to block all those who called out her ideologies.

Getting onto an aeroplane now and won’t get onto the wi-fi so that I can cut off those who think EVERY aspect of colonial legacy was bad.

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) March 16, 2017

Zille — who is not a stranger to Twitter’s ire — has since apologised for what “may have come across as a defence of colonialism.”

I apologise unreservedly for a tweet that may have come across as a defence of colonialism. It was not.

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) March 16, 2017

It was.

Featured image: The Democratic Alliance via Flickr (CC 2.0, resized)