De Lille claims victory against DA
‘I can go back and continue to serve the poor and the marginalised’
MAYOR Patricia de Lille said her court victory over the DA was not a triumph for her alone, but also for the people of Cape Town.
“I can go back and continue to serve the poor, the marginalised people of the city and all public representatives. I’ve never worked as I am working now. Service delivery is not done in boardrooms,” she said.
The DA was dealt a blow when a full Bench of the Western Cape High Court ruled in favour of De Lille’s application to have the party’s decision to terminate her membership reviewed and set aside, with costs.
De Lille remains a member of the DA and has returned to her mayoral position pending an appeal, which the DA said it would institute after studying the judgment.
De Lille had challenged the DA’s validity of the “cessation clause”, which the party used to end her membership after a telephonic radio interview with Cape Talk.
In the interview, De Lille said she would resign from the DA as soon as she was cleared in a disciplinary process.
“I am very happy and relieved. I’ve always put my faith in the independence of the judiciary and I have always maintained that everyone in our country is innocent until proven guilty. Indeed this judgment has far-reaching effects. Whoever advised the party did not follow due process,” she said.
The DA was also left with egg on its face when the court declared the party’s Federal Legal Commission (FLC) invalid.
The commission’s decisions, including all disciplinary hearings and attempts to discipline De Lille, have been set aside.
The court ruled that the DA would have to go back to the drawing board and re-elect the FLC because all their decisions had been declared null and void.
“If they correct all their mistakes, I will still subject myself to an open disciplinary hearing in front of the public and the media,” she said.
De Lille said the decision by the DA’s caucus to declare her a ceremonial mayor was invalid and that she was glad that decision was being reviewed by the city council.
Asked how she would work and deliver service following the brewing tension within the DA’s caucus in the City, De Lille said: “We don’t need to hold each other’s hands to carry the work we are supposed to do.”
DA federal executive council deputy chairperson Natasha Mazzone said: “We don’t feel the correct interpretation of the DA constitution or the FLC’s rules was applied.
“We don’t think this judgment was in the best interest of the people of the City of Cape Town. The judgment went very much on the technicalities surrounding our FLC and our procedures. None of the substantive issues were touched on.
“There are still many questions that need to be answered. There is an independent report that shows maladministration and misconduct.”
She said contingency plans had been put in place to make sure the city council continued to operate and service delivery would not be affected.
Today De Lille is back at the same court for what she described “a matter of principle” to try to force the DA to provide her with information needed to challenge the findings of the Steenhuisen Report.
The commission had found her guilty of several allegations, including shutting down the Special Investigation Unit and trying to influence the re-appointment of former city manager Achmat Ebrahim.
“This is far from over. This time I am energised, waiting for the next round. I can’t wait for the knock-out to come.” De Lille said.
She demanded a copy of the letter Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith sent to the commission, which formed part of the report as most of the Steenhuisen findings were based on it, she said.
ANC chief whip in the City Thandi Makasi said: “At the core of this conflict is a political wrestle over the control of taxpayers’ money and how mega projects involving multiple millions of rand should be handled. The ANC is extremely concerned about how the infighting in the DA is negatively affecting governance and service delivery to our communities.”