Unlikely allies are backing embattled De Lille
EMBATTLED Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille has found unlikely allies in the ANC, ACDP and UDM after the DA’s metro executive recommended that she be axed.
The three main opposition parties in the city council have slammed the DA, saying the way her case is being handled is unfair.
ACDP councillor Grant Haskin said the DA would be on its own if it planned a no-confidence vote.
“We cannot sit back and allow this to happen. Natural justice should take its course.
“We cannot make decisions without proper investigations and inquiries being finalised. They know there are investigations on the go, yet they still go ahead with this move. We don’t agree with that. It is unfair towards the mayor. You can’t just remove someone because you don’t like her. You are innocent until proven guilty,” he said.
ANC spokesperson Khaya Yozi said the reasons given by the DA for its bid to remove De Lille were weak.
“De Lille can take them to the cleaners. In fact, she must challenge them. The DA have no credibility left after they rigged their conference and shredded evidence to hide their dirt.
“De Lille must be given a chance to answer to the allegations against her. If she agrees to go then she will be giving the DA an opportunity to hide corruption in the City. Why is the removal of the mayor not including the deputy mayor (Ian Neilson)?” Yozi asked.
“The ANC’s accusations do not exclude Neilson, he is also subject to the independent investigating committee.”
Grant Twigg, the DA metro leader, said the metro’s executive had recommended to the party’s provincial executive committee and national federal executive that De Lille be removed as mayor.
“Patricia de Lille has lost the confidence of the metro executive, the relevant political authority. We are of the view that the City of Cape Town requires stability, unity and functionality – which we believe she cannot deliver,” Twigg said.
UDM president Bantu Holomisa condemned the party’s own councillor for voting in favour of the council conducting its own investigation into the veracity of the claims made against De Lille.
“The Cape Town scenario demonstrates that the DA seem to prefer a kangaroo court-style ousting of those who, we can only surmise, they find ‘undesirable’, in favour of some untoward plan of action,” he said.
De Lille said that after Twigg’s statement was released, she received several phone calls form DA members.
“I received numerous calls from members from various branches of the DA saying they had not been consulted on this statement by the regional executive, nor had they given them a mandate,” she said.
De Lille said the regional executive should explain why they had chosen to only “represent their jackets, considering that many branches and members are not in support of this so-called motion”.