DA will boot out supporters of De Lille
DA MEMBERS who supported axed City of Cape Town mayor Patricia De Lille this week face expulsion from the party.
DA Western Cape leader Bonginkosi Madikizela said those who were mobilising members from other political parties to support De Lille will be dealt with.
“When people join a political party, they agree to abide by the rules and the constitution of the party.
“Our constitution says that when a member mobilises members of other political parties to demonstrate against their own party, their membership will cease,” said Madikizela.
DA members were out in their numbers at the Western Cape High Court to support De Lille, who was challenging the party’s constitutional clause on cessation of membership, and to interdict it from filling the mayor position.
Members from opposition parties, including the ANC and the EFF, were also present to show support for De Lille.
Madikizela said the identities of those members who supported De Lille are known to the party.
“Their photos are all over the media. In a party, we need discipline and we cannot have people who do as they like.
“The constitution of the party is clear on this matter.
The DA had used an obscure clause in its constitution to interpret an interview De Lille gave to talk radio host Eusebius Mckaiser on April 26, as an indication of her resignation. During the interview, De Lille said she would resign once her name was cleared. Thereafter, she argued that she was talking about resigning as mayor, not from the DA.
However, the DA was left with egg on its face on Friday after the High Court placed Cape Town’s administration in limbo, by ordering the city not to fill the vacant council.
Madikizela said this was not a victory for De Lille, claiming the party had long agreed it would not fill the vacancy.
“This was not a victory for De Lille. She seems to be the only person misunderstanding the court order. We, as the party, had long agreed that we would not fill the vacancy. That was not in dispute. We said we would only consider filling the vacancy after the court rules on the clause she is also challenging,” said Madikizela.
The court reserved judgment in the urgent matter relating to De Lille’s request that she continue being a DA member and mayor.
The matter will resume on May 25, where the court will consider the legality and constitutionality of the clause used to remove De Lille.
De Lille’s legal representatives argued the party acted with undue haste to remove her, and bypassed the law.
For eight months, De Lille has been engaged in a battle with her former party to keep her mayorship position.
Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said De Lille is better off without the party and the legal battles. “She is fighting to be mayor under a party which has lost confidence in her. I advise that she retire. She can still walk away with her integrity. That is her personal right. She does not want to be remembered for being divisive.
“This fighting is not in the interest of Cape Town residents, it is not in the best interest of service delivery. She will no longer be an effective mayor,” said Mathekga.