Angry De Lille denies using city funds on security at her residence
CITY of Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille has come out guns blazing against her detractors‚ saying she has enough money and has not stolen from the city.
This came after her opening speech at the city’s council meeting was delayed by almost two hours.
This was because the ANC demanded that she should not address the sitting as she had yet to clarify money spent on security at her private home.
“I have got enough money. I am not in business like others who are in business and in politics,” an angry De Lille said yesterday.
“I don’t need a cent. In fact I have been thinking of lending some money to the city at a low interest rate to deal with the water crisis.
“I don’t need money from anybody and I don’t steal money from anyone.”
This was the first time De Lille spoke out about allegations of possible irregularities on money spent for security upgrades at her home.
The claims were first raised by safety and security mayoral committee member JP Smith in a letter to the DA leadership.
“I want to also submit two documents that must go for the record of council about what the city spent on security upgrades at my house,” De Lille said.
“And like all other mayors before me‚ they had an assessment done by police and then after that [they were fitted].” She said she had implemented fewer security measures than police suggested.
“Mr Speaker‚ if I had to agree to all the security upgrades at my house‚ I was going to live in a jail,” she said.
“What the police suggested was even changing my tiles on my roof because they were not fireproof.”
The police had gone as far as suggesting she install a Trellidor security gate in the passage in front of her bedroom – something she said would have made her feel like she was in prison.
She had also rejected suggestions that her windows should be made burglarproof.
She was also paying ADT Security for her safety.
De Lille said the city‚ after her protestations‚ had ended up paying R140 139.38 for security gates for her sun room‚ her study‚ a flat window and a garage door.
She said cameras‚ which she had bought herself‚ were now packed in boxes as security had replaced them.
All her receipts were with her lawyers‚ she said.
De Lille and Smith have recently been embroiled in a public spat.
Both were placed on special leave and gagged by the DA after the mayor threatened to unleash her lawyers on her colleagues.
The beef between the two was sparked by the disbanding of the city’s special investigative unit‚ which falls under Smith’s portfolio.