Rat bites politician... and she posts it on Twitter However, her mood changed when someone asked her if the rat was black or white, in a country where race remains a delicate issue nearly 19 years after the end of apartheid. She replied "Only in SA!! Just a matter of time b4 someone brought race into it. Although the head of the Democratic Alliance was a prominent anti-apartheid activist, in December 2011 she was involved in a bitter racial dispute when she used the term "professional black" on Twitter, causing an online storm. Ms Zille, who is the Premier for the Western Cape, has been a Member of Parliament since 2004. She has been highly praised for her work in Cape Town against drug abuse and violence. In 2008 she won the Mayor of the Year Award in recognition of her efforts to improve economic growth and create employment.