De Lille no-confidence vote scrapped after late-night DA deal

A DA motion of no confidence in its Cape Town mayor‚ Patricia de Lille‚ was dramatically scrapped on Thursday.

The motion was on the agenda for the council meeting due to begin at 10am‚ but was withdrawn at the eleventh hour.

eNCA reported that an agreement was signed on Wednesday night between De Lille and the DA. It said there would be no further motions of no-confidence in De Lille but that the council disciplinary investigation into her would continue.

The scrapped motion‚ proposed by councillor Marian Nieuwoudt‚ said De Lille had been mired in controversy for the past year.

“The various allegations‚ independent investigations‚ prima facie findings‚ unanswered questions by herself and behaviour of the executive mayor has created distrust and a breakdown in confidence in her leadership‚” the motion said.

In February‚ De Lille survived a similar vote of no confidence by one vote thanks to the support of the ANC opposition in the council and some DA councillors who remained loyal to her.

Xolani Sotashe‚ the ANC leader in the City of Cape Town‚ said he was not surprised Thursday’s motion had been withdrawn. “It was expected. They were scared and not sure of their numbers‚” he said.