Cape Town - A rowdy mid-week matric farewell party at Western Cape Premier Helen Zille’s official residence has raised the ire of neighbours and the ANC - who are now calling for her to vacate Leeuwenhof Estate.
In a statement, Western Cape legislature caucus chair, Sharon Davis, of the ANC said: “It is an absolute disgrace that Western Cape Premier Helen Zille held a late-night binging after-party at a state facility for learners of a posh boy’s school.
“She has set the worst example ever to teenagers. What an abuse of state property and privilege!
“No excuse by Zille or anybody else is acceptable. The ANC calls for a full investigation on why this revelry was allowed.”
Zille confirmed yesterday that she had allowed her foster grandson, Chulumanco Mputing, who attends Rondebosch Boys High School, to host his matric farewell after-party at her home.
Zille fostered the boy after his mother, Zille’s former housekeeper, died of cancer when he was still young.
She confirmed to Weekend Argus that “the party this week was the after-party of the matric class of a young man that I have raised as my own son”.
She also said she had written letters to 80 of her neighbours in which she explained the nature of the party and requested tolerance and patience during the time of the party.
A neighbour, Anthony Williams, complained in an email to Zille that the party had kept him and other neighbours awake until 4am the next morning.
In the email, Williams said he had been kept awake “by the noise emanating from Leeuwenhof grounds, as a result of the Rondebosch Boys High matric ball after party”.
“If it had not been for the intervention of Captain Chippendale, who according to her, was abused and pelted with bottles when she attempted to close down the party, the noise would still be going on,” Williams wrote in his complaint.
Zille told Weekend Argus she had not heard any noise. “Unfortunately, I slept throughout the ruckus. I can sleep through any circumstances, except a baby crying.”
She also refuted claims of police being abused.
“They say the boys were polite and courteous to the police and all concerned, and they say the only problems they had were from two neighbours who arrived on the scene,” said Zille, who added that she would be seeking a meeting with her neighbours.
Weekend Argus