Speaking on 702, following an uproar over the tweets, he distanced himself from them and said they were unacceptable.

She had breached the party’s social media policy, he said.

“It has been referred to a disciplinary process. I have come out as a South African and condemned it. The wording is indefensible.”

He said a member who breached the party’s social media policy could be fined, or lose their membership.

Earlier, Zille tweeted: “Getting onto an aeroplane now and won’t get onto the Wi-Fi so that I can cut off those who think EVERY aspect of colonial legacy was bad.”

“For those claiming legacy of colonialism was only negative, think of our independent judiciary, transport infrastructure, piped water etc,” she wrote.

She later apologised.

DA MP Dianne Kohler Barnard’s party membership was terminated at the end of October 2015 after she shared journalist Paul Kirk’s Facebook post .

“Please come back PW Botha – you were far more honest than any of these [African National Congress] rogues, and you provided a far better service to the public,” it read.

At a disciplinary hearing, she pleaded guilty to breaching the party’s social media policy and bringing it into disrepute.

Her expulsion was lifted following an appeal. The party decided to keep her in her position until the end of the fifth Parliament, on condition that she not be found guilty of any transgressions during that period. DM