De Lille saga opens a can of worms
DA’s black leaders hatch fight back plan
The DA’s black leaders are hatching a plan to fight back following the official opposition’s decision to rescind Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille’s membership.
Sowetan has been told that the leaders will meet tomorrow to thrash out a defence plan for De Lille.
This comes after De Lille vowed to head to court on Friday to challenge the constitution of the party.
Several sources in the DA’s higher echelons expressed dismay at what they view as an attack on black leaders when contacted by Sowetan yesterday. They cited an example of how former DA leader Helen Zille got off scot-free last year after her tweets justifying colonialism.
“If it was a black leader harsh action would have been taken,” a DA leader said.
It seems that it is for the first time that the DA invoked section 3.5.1.2 which states that a member ceases to be a party member when he or she publicly declares his or her intention to resign and/or publicly declares his or her resignation from the party.
De Lille fell out of favour with DA leadership last month when she publicly stated she intended to resign from the party as soon as she had cleared her name.
The move to cease membership of De Lille comes amid speculation that DA’s internal poll research indicates that the party was likely to get less than 50% if general elections were to be held today.
DA’s strategic advisor and head of election campaign Jonathan Moakes said the party was confident of a strong performance were elections to be held today.
DA MP Ghaleb Cachalia said voters will vote on the DA’s track record and policies.
The DA is at war with itself after the official opposition yesterday rescinded Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille’s membership of the party.
De Lille’s membership was revoked after the DA invoked section 3.5.1.2 of its statutes, which states that a member ceases to be a member when he or she publicly declares his or her intention to resign and/or publicly declares his or her resignation from the party.
De Lille publicly rescinded her membership in a radio interview a fortnight ago.
The fact that it seems to be the first time that the DA invoked such a section showed how desperately the party top brass wanted De Lille out.
The move has caused ructions in the party and seems to have divided members across racial lines. Some coloured voters feel like their leader, like many others before her, was treated with disdain after so many sacrifices.
The removal of De Lille could not have come at a worse time for the divided party as it prepares for the general elections next year.
The DA, as the second-biggest party, has the potential to dislodge the ANC at the polls, but will desperately need the support of black voters. Surely, it can illafford to have a divided Western Cape, where De Lille enjoys a massive following.
De Lille is unperturbed by her removal and is taking the fight to the party top brass through the courts and this will further harm the party’s ambitions next year.
The saga reminds us of previous DA leaders who gave their all to the party, only to fall by the wayside.
Joe Seremane, who was seen as the most prominent black figure in the then predominantly white DA, was regarded as a possible candidate to succeed former leader Tony Leon in 2007 but was defeated by Helen Zille.
In 2016, DA Eastern Cape chairwoman Veliswa Mvenya threatened to resign following running battles with Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip.
The DA was also thrown into a tailspin when its former parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko surprisingly left the party in 2016, at a time when her influence in the party was on the rise.
The shenanigans in the DA have left party leaders with a Herculean task if they hope to perform well in next year’s elections.