De Lille says she attended the EFF memorial to honour Winnie

Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille, who landed herself in hot water with her party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), for attending and speaking at an EFF-organised memorial service for Winnie Madikizela-Mandela on Wednesday tweeted she would not make her attendance at the event “a side issue”.

I will not succumb to making my attendance at an EFF event a side issue. I went to honour Mama Winnie. I have great respect for Mama Winnie, she was a close friend and I regarded her as a sister. She was a former special colleague of mine. https://t.co/qjylwAvP3W

— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) April 12, 2018

This comes after DA officials stated that the party had an issue with the fact that De Lille had not informed the organisation’s leadership that she had been invited to speak at the memorial, which was held in Brandfort, Free State.

DA’s federal executive chairperson, James Selfe, made a public statement that she would have to “explain herself”.

De Lille, however, said her presence at the memorial was to honour the late anti-apartheid stalwart the Mother of the Nation.

In a statement, the DA has dismissed as untrue reports that it has taken the decision to charge De Lille for her attending the memorial for Madikizela-Mandela.

“Ms De Lille’s attendance at the memorial yesterday is a matter between her and the EFF leadership, and not the DA. A courtesy call to alert the DA about her attendance would have been welcomed,” the statement reads.

It further states the main opposition in parliament had received an invitation from the EFF and decided to send Free State provincial leader Patricia Kopane to represent it at the memorial.

“The DA regularly receives invitations from other political parties to address events or rallies, and this is not in any way unusual. However, we do ask that the individual concerned informs the party leadership,” the statement reads.

The DA made a decision over the weekend that they would now have the power to recall members in executive positions within 48 hours if they do something that calls their competence into question. They deny that this was to get rid of De Lille, whom they accuse of being corrupt – though they may use the clause to lay a new charge against her of bringing the party into disrepute.

De Lille has said she’s sure the change is targeted at her specifically.

There has been much speculation that she may be about to join the EFF, or even the ANC. The EFF was very welcoming to her on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Free State chair scrambles to explain why DA must punish De Lille for EFF appearance

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