De Lille shoots from the hip
I won’t leave under dark cloud, says outgoing mayor, slamming ‘racists’ in DA
WITH a determinedly clear declaration that she will not “leave office under a dark cloud”, outgoing Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille set in motion a drama-filled day that had senior DA councillors resigning both their seats and the party, “racists” in the DA slammed, and De Lille openly shouting at her fellow councillors.
Addressing council yesterday, De Lille lashed her detractors and those who leaked a forensic report into corruption at the city.
“It is a minority, but some who are in this council are hell-bent on smearing my name. But as I have said many times before, I will not be deterred,” she said.
“I will not break and I will not give into these vehement and racist bullying tactics,” De Lille said.
Before listing the successes of the city, De Lille said: “I will not be leaving under a dark cloud.”
After her address, proceedings took a turn for the worse when chief whip Shaun August announced his resignation.
The DA leadership were visibly caught off guard, but the party claimed it was expecting something major to happen.
As he left August said: “Mayor, this would have been your last day at the council. But I am telling you that this will not be your last. I cannot stand the abuse by this party.”
Soon after he left, Mayco members for Area North Suzette Little and Area Central Siya Mamkeli, Atlantis councillor Greg Bernado and Mfuleni councillor Thulani van der Stemela walked out after resigning.
August said it was after the 2016 local government elections that various characters within the DA metro started with their campaign to remove him and those they deemed “ID members” from senior leadership and government positions.
“By no means was this a reflection of my work ethic or my commitment to the party but was based on stomach politics fuelled by those who resented others in power and position and for position and power,” August said.
ANC councillors cheered them as they left the chamber. Other senior DA councillors were visibly dumbstruck. Council speaker Dirk Smit called for a break and council then resumed.
Other aggrieved councillors who also walked out hugged De Lille.
She shouted at speaker Dirk Smit when he allowed a report to be removed from the agenda. The report cleared De Lille of any wrongdoing for upgrades at her home.
At a press conference afterwards, DA caucus leader JP Smith said there had been unhappiness among the councillors, but they never brought any formal complaints.
“We speak to each other everyday, so, yes, there is a paper trail of everything. But nothing has ever come to us… never. The complaints should be given to us and there are processes to deal with them,” Smith said.
Councillors had a theatrical way of leaving their jobs, he said.
“We saw the gallery was fully booked. Something was going to happen. We are already starting to inform the relevant authorities,” he said.
DA federal executive deputy chair Thomas Walters said they anticipated the move. “This kind of thing happens at elections. Many of the obstacles in the matter have now gone. It’s business as usual for us,” he said.
DA Western Cape leader Bonginkosi Madikizela said: “We look forward to mayor-elect Dan Plato to bring much-needed stability, unity of purpose and mature leadership. Our focus always has been delivering to the residents of Cape Town, the people who elected us.”