DA’s Cape Town ‘enemy’ backs De Lille against them

In what is an unexpected move in local politics, the ANC’s Cape Town caucus has said it is consulting its lawyers in a bid to prevent the DA’s bid to oust Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille.

The DA was left with egg on its face after a failed motion of no confidence against De Lille in the council earlier this year.

After its federal congress this month, the party introduced a new clause which allowed for it to remove members from elected or appointed posts, which De Lille believed was designed for her.

The DA’s Cape Town caucus got the green light from the federal executive to table an internal motion of no confidence against De Lille which could see her being ousted by the end of this month.

But ANC Cape Town leader Xolani Sotashe said the DA was effectively carrying out a witch-hunt to oust the mayor, and that it was not being honest about its true reasons for doing this.

“It’s quite clear the DA wants to get rid of her, but it has never been about what she has done or about bringing the party into disrepute,” he said.

“What we are busy with is consulting our own lawyers as a caucus because the factional battles in the DA are now impacting on service delivery.

“Nothing is happening in the City of Cape Town because now instead of focusing on services for the people, they are fighting against each other and we feel that the best thing now is for the national government to intervene.

“And, in fact, the City of Cape Town must be placed under national administration,” he added.

Talking to Bongani Bingwa on Talk Radio 702 yesterday, DA Western Cape leader Bonginkosi Madikizela said De Lille had to take responsibility for causing divisions in her own caucus.

“We took a decision as the federal executive to allow the caucus to go ahead because if you look at the situation in the Cape Town caucus, it is so divided and the person who must take responsibility … is the caucus leader so she knows that,” said Madikizela. “She knows that this issue has nothing to do with her DC [disciplinary committee].”

Sotashe told The Citizen he had it on good authority that De Lille was seen as a stumbling block on plans the party wanted to impose in the city related to water desalination projects.

“As we speak, they are now proposing that R19 billion be set aside for water plans, when you ask them where they are going to get that money they say they are going to borrow it,” said Sotashe.

“They are not telling us who is going to benefit, instead what they’ve done is charging residents of Cape Town ridiculous tariffs…”

– simnikiweh@citizen.co.za

Also read: Mazibuko, Khoza back Patricia de Lille and slam DA

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