It is another round lost by embattled Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille. She has to provide reasons to the Democratic Alliance Federal Executive on why she should not be fired.
This is after the DA caucus in Cape Town supported a motion of no confidence against her with an overwhelming 70%.
The party’s new ‘recall clause’ allows for the removal of a DA representative in government if the caucus loses faith in them.
In a video clip, De Lille says this fight with DA is like a boxing match – one round you win, one round you lose. But in end what is important is who is going to give the knockout.
A video posted by the beleaguered mayor after the DA caucus met on Wednesday and the knockout seems imminent.
71% of the DA caucus members want De Lille out. She has until the end of business on Wednesday 2 May to make her submissions to the federal executive.
“There will be three processes. Either the DA will say her submissions are substantiated and look for remedial action between her and the caucus or we will find that in fact the motion is valid and that the mayor should then resign. If she does not resign her membership of the DA will be terminated. If she were to resign she will stay on as a councillor and retain her DA membership,” says DA Federal Executive Second Deputy President Natasha Mazozone.
The federal executive says De Lille already faces a number of serious allegations, and that recently she also started to act against the party.
“I cannot resign because then South Africa will think I’m guilty. You know my reputation has been seriously damaged by all of these allegations even about corruption. Up to today, I want to see the proof of the corruption that I have covered up and so these allegations must be tested in an open disciplinary hearing so that I can clear my name. So, it’s not about prolonging the process it is about justice and fairness,” says Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille.
Capetonians also weighed in on the matter.
“If it comes to Patricia De Lille, I mean she has a big following. So, I feel that what they are doing at the moment is that they are scratching in the wrong business because if you chase her out. She’s probably taking a lot of people with,” says one of the Cape Town residents.
De Lille says she is determined to defend herself publicly and clear her name. It probably does not exclude another show-down in council and a drawn-out legal battle.
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