New bid to get rid of De Lille
“THESE people are hell-bent on smearing my name and I am hellbent on clearing my name,” says Mayor Patricia de Lille.
This after the DA in Cape Town launched a new bid to get rid of De Lille, fresh from an elective conference where a policy to help oust her was adopted.
Yesterday, the party’s caucus approached the organisation’s federal executive for permission to table a motion of no confidence against her in the party’s caucus. The recent DA conference adopted a policy that will allow the party to recall its leaders from office. De Lille said last night this confirmed the “De Lille clause” was designed to remove her.
“I have heard on the news about the request they are putting before the party’s federal executive. I have not been informed officially. I will wait and see,” she said.
The party’s top brass was dealing with representations by De Lille on why she attended a memorial service of the late Struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela organised by the EFF. In February, De Lille survived the motion when a total of 110 councillors voted “no”, with 109 voting “yes” and the other three abstaining.
DA deputy caucus leader in Cape Town council JP Smith said De Lille was only saved by the ANC councillors. He said the majority of DA councillors have voted in favour of approaching the party’s federal executive for a second motion against her.
“This time it would be the vote inside the DA caucus, where the DA has freedom to choose its own leader,” said Smith.
He said although DA councillors were still divided on whether De Lille should be recalled or not, “there is an overwhelming majority which today decided to proceed with the process to ask the federal executive for permission for a second motion of vote of no confidence inside the caucus”.
He said the DA would vote against her without disturbing service delivery.
De Lille is being hauled before a disciplinary hearing by the DA following allegations of unduly influencing the appointment of staff, a failure to exercise her duties in terms of the Financial Management Act and other laws, and abuse of power.