De Lille won’t ‘break’ or ‘give in’ to ‘racist bullying tactics’

Outgoing City of Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille gave her farewell speech at the metropolitan’s council chambers today, and declared she would not “break” or “give in” to “vehement and racist bullying tactics”.

She was referring to the leak to the media of confidential council documents ahead of today’s council meeting, an act she claims was meant to smear her name.

“It is grossly unacceptable that councillors would leak information with malicious intent to injure my name.

“But this is nothing new. I have suffered vicious attacks to my good name for more than a year, and still, people are intent on destroying my good name,” De Lille said.

I have suffered vicious attacks to my good name for more than a year and still people are intent on destroying me. I have given nothing but my unwavering commitment to the people of Cape Town and the evidence is in the massive support from the people across the city. pic.twitter.com/OHAzS73m8Y

— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) October 25, 2018

She said a minority of the city’s councillors were hell-bent on smearing her name.

In so far as the Bowmans investigation and reports are concerned, I said from day one, in this chamber that I welcome any investigation.
I committed to give my full co-operation and I have done so whenever it was my turn to submit responses. pic.twitter.com/pvFwwXuVSk

— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) October 25, 2018

“But I have said many times before, I will not be deterred. I will not be stopped by anyone,” the outgoing mayor said to loud applause.

Regarding reports by law firm Bowman Gilfillan (now called Bowmans) implicating her in “misconduct” as the city’s mayor, De Lille said that from the onset she had stated she welcomed the investigation.

“I committed to giving my full co-operation and I have done so whenever it was my turn to submit responses.

“But I’ve also raised concern about the factual errors in the previous Bowmans report tabled in this Council in January this year. Even so, I kept on co-operating with Bowmans all the time.”

She reiterated that she has been fighting corruption all her life and that she would not allow anyone to smear her name, with her words drawing applause from some in the council chambers.

“I will not break and I will not give in to these vehement and racist bullying tactics. I reserve my rights regarding any findings, recommendations or conclusions contained in the Bowmans reports,” she said.

I will not break and I will not give in to these vehement and racist bullying tactics. I reserve my rights regarding any findings, recommendations or conclusions contained in the Bowmans reports. pic.twitter.com/6G9TXRjXyG

— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) October 25, 2018

She accused public representatives of spreading fake reports about her “purportedly coming from the Auditor General [AG] of this country, Kimi Makwetu”.

Public representatives have gone so far as to spread fake reports about me purportedly from the Auditor General showing their complete disregard for the office of the AG. pic.twitter.com/zGNSL1KOvG

— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) October 25, 2018

She said this had happened in complete disregard of the office of the AG and chapter 9 institutions.

De Lille warned she would soon lay criminal charges against those public representatives who had shared the “fake news on social media”.

“Mr Speaker, I note that you have written to councillors about the leaking of information in the Bowmans reports and that you have instituted a forensic investigation into the leaks.

“I hope that those responsible for this malicious behaviour will be brought to book once and for all since this is not the first time this is happening.”

She added that no one was above the law and that all of the city’s councillors should be mindful that they were placed in their positions as public representatives to serve the interests of the city’s residents rather than political ones.

“Put the leaking of the reports aside, I am also happy to report to all councillors, the media and public in the gallery that there is another report before Council today from the Municipal Public Accounts Committee [MPAC] which clears me of any wrongdoing regarding the security upgrades at my private residence, and I’m very happy about that,” De Lille said.

The report De Lille was referring to deals with the installation of Trellidors at her place of residence for security upgrade purposes.

“It was, of course, not convenient for the nameless, faceless people to leak that report that cleared me.”

The mayor added that it was known by all that the city had used a 2014 threat analysis by the South African Police Service to complete the security upgrades at her house.

She said these upgrades were done when she was doing other upgrades at her home at her own cost.

“This issue about my house was the genesis of the political onslaught which started against me, where all kinds of dirt and lies and allegations were thrown at me since September last year.”

She gave those who had accused her of renovating her house at the city’s expense an opportunity to publicly apologise, “failing so I will take legal action against the accused”.

These words again were met with some applause.

“The reason I’m doing this is because these accusations led to my family being subjected to media, politicians descending on my home, invading my privacy.”

Those who had leaked the Bowmans report and had not done the same on the MPAC report had also not leaked an earlier council report that cleared her of interfering in the appointment of area-based directors, she said.

“But let me share some good news, and the truth that I knew all along. The MPAC report before us today says the installation of the Trellidors at my home amounted to just over R140 000. This was only 28% of the cost of what the initial 2014 risk assessment advice said should be done to secure my home.”

The MPAC report before us today says that the installation of the trellidors at my home amounted to just over R140 000 and that this was 28% of the costs of what the initial 2014 risk assessment advised should be done to secure my home. pic.twitter.com/APIj6JQ8os

— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) October 25, 2018

She added, however, that MPAC had spent 10 times more than the amount spent installing the Trellidors when investigating the matter.

“What a waste of resources. So, a deviation was required to install the Trellidors and the deviation was obtain via delegated authority,” the mayor said.

The MPAC report, De Lille said, further stated that no party had been enriched in the process of installing the Trellidors and that the security upgrades had been necessary to ensure her safety.

“So I hope, Mr Speaker, that puts the matter to rest once and for all, but unfortunately it has tainted my name and it invaded the privacy of my family.”

She added that she hopes those who had been bold enough to level the allegations against her without any proof had the common decency to apologise for the “reputational damage that they have caused to me”.

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