De Lille takes fight to detractors
DA caucus backs move to oust her
and The DA’s caucus in the City of Cape Town has chosen to remove Patricia de Lille as mayor.
This comes after the caucus voted last night to support a vote of no confidence in the mayor. This could be the first step in De Lille being recalled or asked to resign.
Alderman JP Smith‚ the deputy caucus leader‚ told TimesLIVE: “Tonight the DA caucus in Cape Town considered a motion of no confidence in the mayor‚ Patricia de Lille‚ brought by councillor Angus McKenzie.
The debate was extremely orderly and respectful. A vote by secret ballot took place upon the conclusion of the debate. The caucus supported the motion.
“The outcome of the decision by the caucus to request the removal of the mayor as the leader of the DA caucus and therefore the mayor‚ is now being communicated to the federal executive.”
In response‚ De Lille tweeted: “Next round! Let’s go!” saying “what is important is who gives the knockout” while brandishing a pair of black boxing gloves.
In the background is a newspaper poster saying: “Don’t let racists speak for you.”
De Lille described the vote as being driven by the feelings of individuals and not the “public’s will”.
She accused the DA caucus of voting with their “stomachs and represented their jackets”.
“I asked councillors whether they discussed the motion of no confidence and whether they had a mandate from their branches‚” De Lille said. “Councillors are not in council as individuals‚ they represent their constituencies and I asked whether the councillors received a mandate from the people they represent.”
Speaking on Radio 702‚ DA MP Natasha Mazzone confirmed the caucus’s decision.
“The caucus has tonight voted and showed they have lost faith in mayor De Lille due to the fact that she has repeatedly breached the code of conduct for councillors as well as the constitution of the DA‚” she said.
Mazzone said De Lille had until May 2 to make submissions to the party’s federal council to say why she should not resign.
The federal executive will then discuss De Lille’s submissions and if it ratifies the vote‚ De Lille has two days to resign or her party membership will be terminated.
“Things that could happen could include remedial action for the mayor to take. The mayor could be asked to resign‚” she said.
Mazzone believes the vote by 138 councillors shows there is a “complete lack of confidence [in De Lille]”.
“The fact that mayor De Lille in the public domain has made statements that amount to severe criticisms of the DA and the DA’s management of her case.”
De Lille believes it is unfair that her name‚ integrity and reputation is “damaged and that I could not be allowed to defend myself publicly”.
She told journalists she could head to court, which seems to be backed up by her boxing video.