De Lille slams her proposed role in DA

MAYOR Patricia de Lille has hit back at the DA for an announcement, after her most recent court victory, that her role would merely be that of a “ceremonial mayor”.

De Lille was responding to the DA’s court papers, in a scathing affidavit filed with the Western Cape High Court.

On May 11, the same court reinstated De Lille to her position as executive mayor pending the outcome of the legal battle between her and the DA, expected this Friday.

Reacting to the court’s judgment, DA deputy chairperson Natasha Mazzone said: “De Lille will now act in only a ceremonial role, with substantive governance decisions to be taken by the DA caucus in the interests of the people of Cape Town”.

De Lille said the comments by Mazzone following the judgment “were calculated to mislead the public with unnecessary spin-doctoring, but also to undermine the effectiveness of the court’s judgment and order”.

The DA had used an obscure clause in its constitution, to interpret an interview De Lille gave to talk radio host Eusebius McKaiser on April 26 as effectively amounting to a resignation.

She is challenging the constitutionality of the clause.

De Lille criticised the manner in which her party interpreted her words in the interview.

She said the quotation of “portions of the McKaiser interview by the DA is disingenuous and what is important is what is left out”.

“Even a reasonable person would not abruptly switch off the radio at a point convenient to the DA or shut his or her ears at the right places,” said De Lille.

De Lille also referred to similar statements made by DA members and public representatives, against whom action was never taken, including leader Mmusi Maimane.