Why Patricia de Lille’s DA membership was terminated

The Democratic Alliance (DA) announced today that Patricia de Lille’s membership has been terminated because during a radio interview last week she had indicated that she intended to resign from the party.

The DA Constitution provides, in section 3.5.1.2 that:

“A member ceases to be a member when he or she

3.5.1.2 publicly declares his or her intention to resign and/or publicly declares his or her resignation from the Party;” #delille pic.twitter.com/HUWt5LcaDQ

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) May 8, 2018

The party’s federal chairperson said the DA constitution provided, in section 3.5.1.2, that: “A member ceases to be a member when he or she publicly declares his or her intention to resign and/or publicly declares his or her resignation from the Party.”

In the meanwhile, Ms #DeLille
took part in a radio interview with Eusebius McKaiser on Radio 702 on 26 April 2018.

In the course of this interview, Ms de Lille on two occasions indicated that she intended to resign from the DA.

See the conversation below: pic.twitter.com/WvE2a3ga88

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) May 8, 2018

“Ms de Lille was invited to explain why she had not, as a matter of fact, ceased to be a member by virtue of this section when she admitted that she intended to resign. She attempted to argue that this referred to resigning as Mayor. The federal legal commission [FLC] found that the context showed very clearly that she intended to resign from the DA,” Selfe said.

The federal chair added the federal executive resolved last night to endorse the finding of the FLC that De Lille’s membership had ceased as of the date of the 702 interview – April 26.

“We have informed Ms De Lille and city manager of this fact,” Selfe said.

“The fact that she has ceased to be a member renders the other processes, the disciplinary and the operation of the accountability clause, moot. The federal executive did, however, support the motion passed by the caucus, and will apply the accountability clause should the need arise. The federal executive has therefore not at this point made any decision on the accountability aspect,” Selfe added.

The party said it had lost confidence in De Lille following two investigations, one which found that her behaviour and actions constituted gross misconduct, gross dereliction of duty and that her actions amounted to deceiving the City of Cape Town council.

The DA said the other report, the party’s internal Steenhuisen report, found that De Lille had failed in her duties and responsibilities, brought the party into disrepute and that her actions were detrimental to internal cooperation within the organisation.

These are the reasons the DA has lost confidence in Patricia #deLille. pic.twitter.com/utLWt200jJ

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) May 8, 2018

“Both these investigations and the matters that had come to light in the course of them caused the DA in the City to lose confidence in the Mayor and the way she was running the City,” the party said.

With regards to the fake auditor-general report on De Lille, which was shared by some members of the party, subsequently leading to De Lille saying she would lay criminal charges against those members, the party’s deputy federal chair Natasha Mazzone said the party had not created the said document and that it had not posted it on any of its official platforms.

In light of this information, I will be laying criminal charges against those who shared the fraudulent post. I will also lodge a formal complaint against the named @Our_DA members with the FLC. https://t.co/UkTmLMVani

— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) May 7, 2018

“Following findings by the police we will then make a decision as to what to do to the members that unfortunately posted or reposted this particular false document,” Mazzoni said.

The deputy federal chair said the particular document had not played a role during De Lille’s disciplinary hearings or any commissions she faced.

ALSO READ: Patricia de Lille no longer a DA member

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