Is the DA going to charge De Lille or not?

The political fallout surrounding Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille’s attendance at a memorial service for Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, organised by the Economic Freedom Fighters, is as clear as mud, with her party’s contradictory statements simply adding to the confusion.

Rumours that De Lille is about to become the newest member of the EFF abound, and the Democratic Alliance has issued contradictory statements about whether it intends to charge her for attending the EFF event.

In an apparent about-turn on its initial stance towards De Lille’s presence at the event, the party yesterday dismissed reports that it would be charging her as “simply untrue”.

DA national spokesperson Refiloe Nt’sekhe said: “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.”

This contradicted a tweet by DA leader Mmusi Maimane, who said De Lille should have informed the party, as would be expected of any DA member.

“DC [disciplinary committee] action is not about that, it’s about accountability 4 CT,” Maimane said yesterday.

DA federal executive leader James Selfe was quoted as saying the party would request an explanation from De Lille for her attendance at the EFF event. DA Free State provincial leader Patricia Kopane also attended and addressed the same event, alongside ANC NEC member Siyabonga Cwele and EFF president Julius Malema.

Nt’sekhe, however, said the DA received an official invitation from the EFF leadership and sent Kopane to represent the party. This was not unusual because the party regularly received invitations from other parties to address events or rallies, but it required that the individual concerned inform the party leadership.

“The DA has, along with the nation, been mourning the death of Mrs Madikizela-Mandela and refuses to be drawn into mudslinging in her name. It is simply inappropriate,” Nt’sekhe added.

Political analyst Ebrahim Fakir said the DA had muddied the situation with contradictory statements.

“We don’t know the truth … the spokesperson says one thing and the leadership say another.”

The analyst said that normally, De Lille should inform the party when attending events of that nature. But as the DA itself was not being transparent about the issue, the real intentions of both parties were unclear.

On social media, De Lille played a different tune, implying the party was indeed on her case. She tweeted: “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.”

She said it was an honour for her to pay tribute to Madikizela-Mandela and recall the many memories she had of a “brave fighter for our freedom, equality and democracy. I will always remember Mama Winnie as one of the key leaders in our liberation struggle.”

She surprised many when she addressed the EFF-organised service at Brandfort on Wednesday.

The DA immediately said De Lille, who is facing earlier charges of corruption and bringing the party into disrepute, had not informed the party leadership and would be charged.

– ericn@citizen.co.za

Also read: EFF cosies up to De Lille in Brandfort

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