The Democratic Alliance(DA) Federal Executive council’s second Deputy chairperson, Natasha Mazzone says re-installed Cape Town mayor Patrica de Lille will have to operate in line with the DA’s principles until Friday next week.
Mazzone was reacting to Tuesday’s high court ruling that granted Patricia de Lille interim relief to remain as the Mayor.
Judge Patrick Gamble ruled that the cessation of de Lille’s membership of the DA has been suspended until her urgent interdict against the party’s decision is heard on 25 May.
This is until finalisation of her court application challenging the DA’s move to terminate her membership and consequently her position as mayor.
Mazzone says the court ruling was an indication that the interests of the people of Cape Town must come first.
She says: “The court indicating that their concern is that the people of Cape Town must always come first. Residents must have no interrupted services.”
“We have the matter coming up on the 25 of May – I think what comes out very strongly is court’s instruction, that now that she’s reinstated… it must be understood she does so under the DA mandate, and as such operate according to the DA mandate and principles.”
The DA last week terminated her membership from the party because De Lille publicly declared her intention to resign from the party on a radio station.
The DA says it is pinning its hopes on next week’s court judgment.
DA Western Cape leader Bonginkosi Madikizela was speaking outside the court.
“This was a more practical judgement rather than a legal one. It’s going to be a difficult issue to deal with given the fact that the person that you’re talking about left long ago. Her comments, her posture, her everything else clearly indicates that but we need to put the interests of the people of Cape Town first and we need to make sure that we rise above party politics work together until that court judgement.”
