Helen Zille and teh ANC Alliance Locking Horns (Benjamin Earwicker)

Lets’s look at the important bits of the letter that seemed to have raise the ire of the ANC and alliance:

“… And, more significantly, the ANC’s leader, Jacob Zuma, is a self-confessed womanizer with deeply sexist views, who put all his wives at risk by having unprotected sex with an HIV-positive woman. Even after this the ANC women’s league strongly endorsed his Presidential campaign. Their professions of support for women’s rights ring hollow indeed against this background. …”

Calling the country’s President a self-confessed womanizer with deeply sexist views is probably going over the top and should not be part of a media release. The observation about putting ‘all his wives at risk’ is reasonable and a simple statement of fact; but more in keeping with a conversation than a media release. The rest of the letter is an attempt to justify the composition of the Western Cape Provincial Cabinet and is along the lines of what the DA normally say.

Did the content of the letter justify the fury unleashed by the ANC and cohorts? Probably not. But, the continued hounding of Jacob Zuma (we talked about this previously) has exacerbated the situation and escalated the name calling to this point (excerpts from the ANC Youth League statement):

“… the racist girl Helen Zille …”

“… her stupid and sexist decision …”

“… all male cabinet of useless people, majority of whom are her boyfriends and concubines so that she can continue to sleep around with them …”

“… fake racist girl who was dropped on a head as child …”

This comes across as just plain childish. If children reacted in this way they would be sent to their rooms to think about things. That said, though, it has become very personal and I would not be surprised if Helen Zille did not make a(nother) call to the DA’s lawyers. Statements of this type are what we have come to expect from the ANC Youth League. It paints a woeful picture of the potential future leaders of the country.

Interestingly, we have not heard much from Jacob Zuma about the subject. He has let others do the dirty for him while he (in his inauguration speech) talked about working alongside the opposition. Is this a dignified silence or a calculated ploy to paint Helen Zille as a monster.

So, Helen Zille, it is time to back down for a bit and be more of a Premier and less of the leader of the National opposition. Let other members of your party do the politicking and dirty work. You are now the Premier of ALL the people in the Western Cape and not just those who voted for you. Help them realize their dreams they had on voting day. In the same way, Jacob Zuma is president of all the people of South Africa. He needs some time to get going.

What is YOUR take on all of this. Add a comment.

African National Congress Youth League

“HELEN ZILLE CONTNUES TO EXCEL AS NUMBER ONE RACIST AND DISTRACTOR OF GENDER STRUGGLES

The ANC YL is disgusted by remarks attributed to the racist girl Helen Zille, who when failing to defend her stupid and sexist decision to appoint predominantly white males into her cabinet, attacks the President of the Republic of South Africa. The ANC YL calls on Helen Zille to respect the office of the President of the Republic of South Africa and stop making stupid and degrading remarks against President Jacob Zuma. Zille has appointed an all male cabinet of useless people, majority of whom are her boyfriends and concubines so that she can continue to sleep around with them, yet she claims to have the moral authority to question our President.

If the fake racist girl Zille continues to speak hogwash like she has been doing during elections, we will take militant action against her, and demonstrate to her that she does not have monopoly over the Western Cape. The fake racist girl who was dropped on a head as child should understand that South Africa will never be a Mickey-mouse Republic like she wants to portray it. An absolute majority of South Africans support President Jacob Zuma and will find it very disgusting for a fake racist apartheid agent to continue undermining the highest office in South Africa.”

Here is a link to the original document that has subsequently been withdrawn from the ANC Youth League website. Interestingly, the file name reflects the press release from passing of Ivy Matsepe-Cassaburri, and may be an indication of the haste (and anger) with which the Helen Zille press release was prepared and posted.