WATCH | 'Chester Missing should be Cape Town's new mayor': Patricia de Lille in quotes

Patricia de Lille came out fighting on Tuesday after the Democratic Alliance (DA) announced she had been expelled from the party.

Announcing that De Lille was no longer a party member after she declared in a radio interview that she was “walking away”‚ the DA apologised for the impact of the break-up on the City of Cape Town.

However, the ousted Cape Town mayor refused to back down. At her own media briefing a few hours later‚ De Lille said she was heading to the High Court in Cape Town to seek an urgent interdict against the city manager‚ the Independent Electoral Commission and the DA.

She wants to prevent city manager Lungelo Mbandazayo from declaring a vacancy in the City of Cape Town. She is also challenging the “accountability clause” recently introduced in the party's constitution‚ saying it has been unfairly applied to her.

Meanwhile Cape Town’s new acting mayor‚ Ian Neilson‚ said that the mayoral committee appointed by De Lille has been dissolved with immediate effect.

“The administration of the city is secure and we remain committed to the work we do to deliver services across the city‚” Neilson said.

The DA’s unhappiness with De Lille began last July‚ when mayoral committee member JP Smith submitted a report to party leader Mmusi Maimane and federal executive chairman James Selfe headed: “Complaint: Conduct of Patricia de Lille and state of governance in City of Cape Town council.”

Since then‚ the party has made numerous attempts to oust De Lille‚ and she has responded vigorously‚ including taking legal action.