Helen Zille

During the 2024 campaign, a DA advertisement showed the South African flag burning before being restored, intended by the party to symbolise the risk of an ANC-EFF/MK coalition. President Cyril Ramaphosa called the advertisement "treasonous", and it sparked major debate over the use of national symbols. Zille publicly defended it and acknowledged that controversy was part of the communications strategy.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Direct responsibility

In 2017, Helen Zille caused a major crisis in the DA by posting tweets stating that colonialism's legacy had not been entirely negative. The DA initiated disciplinary proceedings and Zille apologised for her wording. The Public Protector subsequently found an ethics code violation, but the Supreme Court of Appeal overturned that finding in 2022.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

In June 2020, Zille stated on Twitter that democratic South Africa had more racist laws than under apartheid and made other remarks about the end of the apartheid regime. Several DA officials distanced themselves, and complaints were submitted to the party's legal commission.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

In December 2018, the Public Protector found that Zille had breached the ethics code by intervening to enable her son, teacher Paul Maree, to access Education Department tablets for a mathematics teaching project. The report considered that she had exposed herself to a risk of conflict between her official responsibilities and a family interest. In January 2019, the High Court prohibited implementation of the remedial measures pending review proceedings.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

An official trip by Zille to Singapore and Japan with a delegation was valued at more than 1.1 million rand, prompting ANC criticism and requests for examination by the Auditor-General and the public accounts committee.

Attribution

Political responsibility

Zille called pupils from the Eastern Cape seeking better education in the Western Cape "education refugees". The term sparked accusations of insensitivity and internal xenophobia. She subsequently apologised for the impact of her wording.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Directly implicated

A communications contract awarded by the Western Cape government sparked controversy over the procedure and involvement of the Premier's office. A draft Public Protector report had raised severe criticisms; after responses and examination, the final report found no illegality in the award.

Attribution

Political responsibility

During a 2011 debate on responsibility and HIV, Zille argued that people who knew they were HIV-positive and infected others should be liable to prosecution, even raising attempted murder. She also made controversial remarks on personal responsibility and public funding for treatment.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Personally implicated