WATCH: De Lille resigns as mayor and member of the DA

After leaving the country in limbo about whether on not she would resign from the Democratic Alliance, embattled Cape Town mayor Patricia De Lille has officially resigned as both a mayor and member of the party.

In a media briefing outside the Western Cape High Court, De Lille stated that she is asking the court to set aside both Bowmans reports after one found her guilty and the other not guilty.

She also highlighted how she was only charged for the report that surfaced this past week.

One version of a Bowmans report found De Lille liable for allegedly attempting to interfere with city manager Achmat Ebrahim’s duties. The plot thickened after a close friend and confidant to De Lille, Rodney Lentit, alleged last week that the report was an attack on the mayor.

Lentit believes the Bowmans report was deliberately leaked while De Lille was at a summit in London. He accused the DA of attempting to discredit her.

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

“I have evidence to suggest that Bowmans was colluding with politicians,” said De Lille outside the High Court.

She then listed the exorbitant amounts in the millions that have been paid to the firm by the city over the years. Money she says comes from the city’s ratepayers.

“I am determined as ever to clear my name and I have been successful with three high court judgments in my favour already. I put my faith in the independence of the judiciary behind us,” added De Lille.

She also brought up alleged lies by council speaker Dirk Smit whom she claims presumptively announced her resignation citing a letter she says she never signed.

“He is a liar and he must go ask forgiveness from God. I don’t have time to deal with him,” she said.

She signed her official resignation letter live on air stating that her resignation will take effect as of 7pm on Wednesday, October 31.

“Despite the effort to tarnish the work of my hands, I remain resolute to serve my country in any capacity because I know that the truth will prevail,” she added.

De Lille will take two weeks off to consider her options and consult her family before announcing what her next move will be. She did mention that she is in the process of writing a book and will be focusing more on that during her time off.

De Lille also announced that she will also be resigning as a member of the DA and taking more councillors with her, before ensuring that more will follow.

She addressed questions from those who questioned why councillors are only bringing up racism and ill-treatment within the party now and stated that they have evidence to prove how they have been fighting this battle for years against what she has described as “a rudderless, leaderless party that cannot give direction”.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.