Zille disciplinary hearing set to start
Former Democratic Alliance (DA) leader and Western Cape Premier Helen Zille's disciplinary hearing is set to start today.
Zille has been suspended from the DA for controversial tweets she sent out earlier this year defending certain elements of colonialism.
The DA's federal executive decided to temporarily suspend Zille pending the conclusion of the disciplinary hearing.
Zille has since lashed out at party leader Mmusi Maimane, saying she was only removed because she is white.
Political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi says the fallout from Zille's tweets shows that the ANC is not the only party in crisis.
"She has done well to grow the DA and grow its membership base amongst blacks and grow its support base amongst black voters, but she is destroying what she has built," says Matshiqi.
Matshiqi says she's asking the DA to choose between her and Maimane and to choose between her and black voters.
"She will lose on both counts, but the DA may lose too. She is a very good fundraiser. She still has a lot of support and, therefore, don't rule out the possibility that the DA that will contest elections in 2019 is the DA as we know it today."