Cape Town - Patricia de Lille’s mayorship of Cape Town is hanging by a thread, but she has warned the DA not be too hasty in getting rid of her.
After word leaked that the DA’s metro executive has recommended that she be sacked, De Lille released a statement that she is aware of plans to replace her with provincial leader Bonginkosi Madikizela.
De Lille has lost the confidence of the DA’s metro executive, under the leadership of Grant Twigg, which has recommended to the national leaders that she be sacked as mayor.
Read:
“I communicated our recommendations to the party leadership and trust they will act swiftly in the best interests of the organisation," said Twigg.
"All public representatives are accountable to their party and voters, and as the party leadership we need to ensure all deployees are acting in the best interests of voters as well as the organisation, and not themselves. The metro executive has not taken these decisions lightly, but after careful consideration and deliberation.”
De Lille is the subject of two investigations - one in the DA led by party chief whip John Steenhuisen, and a second one by law firm Bowman Gilfillan which is investigating allegations of corruption and maladministration in the City.
Steenhuisen investigated the political tensions in the Cape Town Caucus and allegations involving serious questions of good governance and maladministration.
One of the matters under investigation was the political tension between De Lille and her mayoral committee member for safety, security and social services JP Smith.
In a scathing statement, De Lille said Twigg’s statement is yet another example of the flagrant disregard for process and an attempt to get her out.
De Lille said after Twigg’s statement was released she received numerous calls from DA members who have never been consulted on his statement.
Also read:
“The regional executive therefore needs to provide the proof of when they met with the branches and what mandate they received from the branches.
"It is only fair that this proof is provided to understand whether the DA members and branches were consulted.
"They can do this by providing a list of the meetings which took place when branches took decisions. It is clear that the regional executive are confused about their role and function,” she said.
Madikizela said he had no ambition of becoming the next mayor.
“It is completely nonsense. I am not taking over as the mayor. I am the Human Settlements MEC until the premier fires me from my position. We follow processes in the DA; people apply for positions in the DA. The party's national structures are dealing with the matter, but we need stability in the City of Cape Town, the sooner, the better. The right decision will be taken,” he said.
Simon Grindod, former national deputy leader of the then-Independent Democrats, said the DA was planning to appoint Madikizela as mayor and position Alan Winde, MEC for Economic Opportunities, Tourism and Agriculture as candidate for premier in 2019.
“So reliable sources confirm that the De Lille smears are to oust her to create a job for Bonginkosi Madikizela, newly elected DA provincial leader. The DA have earmarked the post-Zille Premiership for Alan Winde. It's a done deal,” he said.