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City of Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille has until the end of Friday to make submissions, explaining why she should not resign.
De Lille was suspended from all party activities in mid-December after a report by a subcommittee, headed by Democratic Alliance chief whip John Steenhuisen, was adopted by the party’s federal council. It is believed that findings in the report include serious allegations of maladministration by De Lille. The party had extended the time for her to respond and gave her until January 5 to make submissions.
De Lille came under fire several times last year as it emerged that she and other colleagues did not see eye to eye.
In September, it emerged that De Lille ordered the shutting down of the City’s special investigation unit. This move resulted in a spat between her and mayoral committee member for safety, security and social services JP Smith, who had overseen the unit.
An affidavit by the executive director in De Lille’s office, Craig Kesson, also painted her in a bad light. In it, he alleged she had planned to publicly discredit a senior City staffer who questioned alleged tender irregularities. Kesson also claimed De Lille had asked that a report into a possible R43-million loss regarding another tender be made to “go away”.
De Lille had hit back saying his actions were not that of a whistleblower, but were criminal.
In December, De Lille had said that, if the DA went ahead with a motion of no confidence against her, she would go the legal route to try and prevent it.
“I am of the view that they [the reasons] do not warrant my suspension, nor my removal,” she said previously.
“I am of the view that the ‘process’ that has been followed has been patently unfair towards me. My legal team will convey this to [the federal executive], as they have done repeatedly during the last few months.”
In September, it emerged that the subcommittee, headed by Steenhuisen, was established by the DA’s federal executive to look into tensions and political management in the City.
The subcommittee, convened by DA leader Mmusi Maimane, started its hearings on October 3 last year.
It is understood that several councillors testified in the hearings and that several allegations were made against De Lille, among others.
A report from that subcommittee was compiled, based on this, and De Lille had until Friday to respond to it. – News24
