DA in a dilemma
YESTERDAY’S Western Cape High Court ruling in favour of mayor Patricia de Lille not only vindicated her but has also put the DA in a real dilemma. The court found that the DA had violated its own constitution and rules. This is serious. It is not to be taken lightly by a party which often boasts about running a clean ship and who often points out the shortcomings of its rivals.
“This victory is not just a victory for me. It’s a victory for the people of Cape Town,” De Lille said shortly after the ruling – the second in her favour during her battle with the party.
What did she mean – “victory for the people of Cape Town?” Time will tell, but the DA has been sent back to the drawing board.
It’s reputation bruised, it will have to think very hard about how to deal with De Lille.
The DA’s argument that she publicly declared her intention to resign from the party during a radio interview in April was enough to terminate her membership holds no ground.
It is weak attempt at trying to teach her a lesson because she’s taken the fight to the party whose leadership has practised double standards when it comes to discipline in its ranks.
The party must do the right thing and accept the court’s finding. It must start a proper and transparent process if it wants to discipline or get rid of the mayor. This is a terrain the DA appears hellbent to avoid. The question is why. The DA bigwigs who want her fired know very well she’s a tenacious politician and a formidable fighter. This was why the DA had chosen her to lead the last local government election campaign in the metro.
The DA’s problem is that De Lille has vowed to clear her name and won’t stop until she has achieved this.
The predicament the party faces is that she’s challenging it to illustrate the transparency it claims to have, and make her disciplinary hearing public.
If the DA can’t or won’t act transparently and fairly in dealing with one of its own, it will show something is very wrong inside a the party that has lofty aspirations for next year’s elections.