DA to remove Patricia de Lille as Cape Town mayor
[caption id="attachment_234564" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Patricia de Lille
Picture: Gallo Images[/caption]
Patricia de Lille was set to be ousted as mayor of Cape Town on Wednesday.
The DA provincial leader‚ Bonginkosi Madikizela‚ said the party federal executive had given councillors permission to support an ANC motion of no confidence in De Lille.
Last week‚ the caucus voted by 84 to 59 in favour of a motion that De Lille should be relieved of her mayoral chain but it was not clear whether councillors would be permitted to support a motion brought by an opposition party.
That obstacle was removed on Wednesday by Madikizela’s disclosure that the federal executive — the party’s main decision-making body when the federal council and federal congress are not in session — had given the go-ahead.
Madikizela said: “While this is an unprecedented move‚ the ANC correctly in its motion details many‚ but not all‚ of the maladministration that the mayor is responsible for.
“The federal excutive has taken this step on the basis that the caucus‚ and the party too‚ has lost faith in her leadership. It is therefore in the best interests of the people of Cape Town and good governance – given the threat that Patricia de Lille poses to both – that we have no choice but to remove her as the mayor.
“This is a demonstration of the fact that we are able to rise above narrow party-political interests and to serve the democratic project in South Africa.
“We have previously appealed to the ANC to support motions of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma due to the very obvious damage he has done to South Africa and his leading role in state capture and corruption.
“It is for similar reasons that the federal executive has authorised the caucus to vote for a motion to remove Patricia de Lille. We reached this point due to the untenable and destructive role played by the mayor.
“Patricia de Lille has played an important role in South Africa’s democratic history. It is truly saddening that her conduct has forced us to act to remove her. However‚ no matter someone’s history or popularity‚ we have a greater obligation to protecting the principles of good governance and ensuring effective delivery to all‚ especially the people of Cape Town.”
