“DA had obligation to report bribery allegations against De Lille”

The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Federal Executive Deputy Chairperson, Natasha Mazzone says the party merely fulfilled its legal obligation by reporting bribery allegations against outgoing Cape Town Mayor, Patricia de Lille to the police.

De Lille announced during a media briefing in Cape Town on Sunday that the NPA had dropped the investigation against her relating to Gauteng businessman, Anthony Faul, due to a lack of evidence.

Faul claimed that De Lille sought a bribe of R5 million for him to be awarded a tender to supply the City of Cape Town with a fire retardant paint to use in informal settlements.

Mazzone says the DA reported the matter as is required under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.

Meanwhile, De Lille has told the media this is a desperate attempt to get rid of her.

“I’m convinced that these allegations were a grand plot to remove me but regardless of this I committed transparently to work with the police and to work with the Hawks. They were a vicious attack on my good name and my reputation and therefore I have instructed my lawyers to sue Mr Anthony for defamation for R1 million. I want to send out a very strong message that those who will smear my name, I will not hesitate to sue the hell out of you,” says De Lille.

De Lille says she will make further statements in the coming weeks about legal action against others who she believes have stained her name.

The mayor has not decided yet if she will remain with the DA or not.

De Lille says she has taken an enormous amount of abuse and all the allegations which were spread far and wide by the DA has caused her great reputational harm.

“To date, I have not been found guilty of anything that I have been accused of. I have always said that the truth will always survive and that I am not afraid to subject myself to any due process to properly test the allegations against me, open to the public and the media,” De Lille defended.