Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille outmaneuvered the Democratic Alliance (DA) – again – as she fought to keep hold of her mayoral chain.
In an agreement reached on Wednesday night between De Lille and her party, with whom she has been embattled for months now, the DA yielded to her request that her disciplinary hearings be open to the media.
De Lille seemed to have called the party bluff over whether or not they actually had the numbers inside the Cape Town city council to boot her from her position during a motion of no confidence scheduled to take place against her on Thursday morning.
Instead the motion was withdrawn in the wake of the Wednesday night agreement – in exchange for her facing the DA’s disciplinary council over allegations of maladministration and nepotism brought against her by her fellow DA councillors.
DA federal executive chairperson James Selfe wore a somber face as he sat on a wooden stage inside the Banquet Hall of the Cape Town Civic Centre following a lengthy DA caucus meeting. His posture and expressions were contrasted by a confident-looking De Lille, who told Times Select that Wednesday’s agreement was best for her and the party.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 