De Lille may not resign as mayor

Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille might not resign at the end of the month as expected.

She is believed to be serving her notice which is expected to come to an end at the end of October. Various reports have pointed to a different outcome come month end.

A Cape Argus report suggests several high-placed sources informed the newspaper that they were aware of De Lille’s plan not to leave office.

They quoted Rodney Lentit advising De Lille not to resign. Lentit, a close friend and confidant to De Lille, believes the leaked report accusing De Lille of maladministration was an exit attack on her.

The DA however reportedly confirmed the party had not received word from De Lille that she planned to stay on as mayor.

Lentit however believes the Bowman Gilfillan’s report was deliberately released while De Lille was at a summit in London. He accused the DA of attempting to discredit De Lille.

He advised her not to write an any resignation letter and that she must stay on as mayor for her internal disciplinary hearing. He added that if De Lille were to leave at the end of October there would be no disciplinary hearing leaving her name still tainted.

The Sowetan reports De Lille has spoken to Lentit and confirmed she would not be leaving the mayoral office.

De Lille has not submitted a resignation letter to the speaker of the council Dirk Smit, meaning she could afford to make a U-turn on her previous decision.

The Bowman Gilfillan report accuses De Lille and former city manager Achmat Ebrahim of failing to report tender irregularities in relation to the payment for electronic buses from a Chinese manufacturing giant.

Lentit however, questions the independent investigation by Bowmans’ Johannesburg and said the report contradicted Bowmans’ Cape Town report, where the mayor was cleared from any wrongdoing.

Council is scheduled to meet on Thursday to decide if the report recommendations will be adopted.

On Tuesday the DA issued a statement elaborating on the investigations surrounding De Lille.

They maintain that they have always supported the idea that an independent investigation should be left to run its course so that the full extent of De Lille’s governance in Cape Town can be fully investigated.

“It is important for the public to understand that there are two investigative reports, both which by all accounts point to continuous interference and misconduct by Patricia De Lille,” the statement read.

The second report includes 2,000 pages of “evidence” based on interviews, legal submissions, and other inputs. The DA claims the documents paint a “grim picture” of De Lille’s conduct as mayor.

They are awaiting this week’s council meeting where the results of the investigation are expected to be tabled.

“We would be hopeful that Ms De Lille and her associates do not seek to confuse the public any further on this matter,” the statement read.

(Compiled by Gopolang Chawane)

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