De Lille mobbed by supporters amid battle for her political life

Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille was mobbed by a crowd of supporters as she arrived at the High Court in Cape Town on Tuesday.

De Lille made her way through the singing crowd with her advocate‚ Dali Mpofu‚ who was due to argue that the DA must allow councillors to vote with their conscience and in secret when a motion of no confidence in her leadership is debated on Thursday.

This follows a public spat between the De Lille and her party over allegations of maladministration and corruption.

Leading De Lille’s supporters outside court was Lulama Bini from Hout Bay‚ who told TimesLive: “We are here to support our mayor who supported us last year during a fire that was raging in Mandela Park informal settlement.

“She gave us hope and kept her promises. She did deliver. We have water‚ electricity and toilets. I am not a DA member. I am supporting her as mayor of Cape Town.”

As the crowd sang that De Lille’s “sin was being black”‚ Bini said some officials wanted black people to be removed from Hout Bay and “dumped near the airport”. He said DA provincial leader Bonginkosi Madikizela‚ who is also the provincial housing MEC and the De Lille’s likely successor as mayor‚ supported the move.

“We are worried of losing a lot if she is removed. Our kids go to school in Hout Bay‚ we work in Hout Bay. The accusations are only emerging now. She doesn't know we are here‚” said Bini.

Madikizela was booed by the crowd as he arrived for the hearing.