The DA in the Western Cape provincial legislature appeared to close ranks around embattled Premier Helen Zille on Tuesday and defended her right to freedom of speech amid growing calls for her to resign. This is the clearest indication yet that Zille, who is due to face a disciplinary hearing and could potentially be booted out of the party, still enjoys wide support in the DA in the province despite her latest Twitter gaffe. It sets the stage for a huge showdown when the premier and former party leader is eventually hauled before the party’s top disciplinary body. Zille sparked anger on Twitter earlier in March with her comments about the legacy of colonialism. "For those claiming the legacy of colonialism was only negative‚ think of our independent judiciary‚ transport infrastructure‚ piped water etc‚" she tweeted. Although a battered and bruised Zille has again apologised to anyone who "genuinely" thought "I was praising, defending or justifying colonialism", she appeared unrepen...
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