Johannesburg: The former head of South Africa's main opposition party has been suspended from party activities following tweets in which she said colonialism had some positive results.
Mmusi Maimane, leader of the Democratic Alliance, said Saturday that predecessor Helen Zille's comments damaged the party and undermined reconciliation efforts in what he called South Africa's "fragile democracy."
Maimane says Zille is suspended pending a disciplinary hearing.
Zille, who is white, tweeted in March that the colonial legacy was not only negative, citing "our independent judiciary, transport infrastructure, piped water etc."
Many South Africans criticized Zille, a former journalist and anti-apartheid activist who continues as premier of the opposition-controlled Western Cape province.
South Africa held its first all-race elections after the end of white minority rule in 1994.
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