Western Cape Premier Helen Zille likened her controversial tweets on colonialism to Julius Malema’s utterances about the “slaughtering of white people” and laments the different public reactions to both statements.

Zille received a lot of backlash after she compared South Africa to Singapore – marvelling at how Singapore was able to capitalise on the remnants of colonialism by “taking responsibility”.

Her tweets were subsequently deemed to be racist and a defence of colonialism, and she has since apologised “unreservedly”.

Speaking to the Western Cape legislature Zille once again apologised but also spoke about how EFF leader Julius Malema did not receive as much flak for his “slaughtering white people” statement – a reference to Malema’s “we are not calling for the slaughter of white people‚ at least for now” comment late last year.

“Julius Malema has generously reminded us that the EFF have not yet called for whites to be slaughtered,” said Zille.

“There was a ripple of anger about this but nothing like the response to my simple statement of fact.”

A defiant Helen quoted the likes of Steve Biko and Nelson Mandela as part of her defence and remarked at how her tweets have given birth to a necessary debate on colonialism.

Since tweeting her now infamous tweets DA leaders have come out and condemned her tweets pending the meeting of the DA’s federal executive committee.