De Lille expected to resign as DA mayor: sources

Patricia de Lille is expected to announce her shock resignation as Cape Town mayor, senior Democratic Alliance sources told TimesLIVE.

This follows after a press conference was called on Sunday morning. The briefing, jointly hosted by De Lille and DA leader Mmusi Maimane, will be to "make an important announcement", the invitation said.

The briefing will take place at midday.

But sources told TimesLIVE that De Lille would be stepping down after she reportedly struck a deal with the DA this week.

A party source said that Maimane briefed members of the city's DA caucus on Saturday night about her resignation, and said that she opted for the decision.

This comes just days before she was expected to appear before a public disciplinary hearing into her alleged nepotism and mismanagement of the city. It would bring to an end an often ugly and public spat between her and the party.

Another source confirmed that the resignation announcement would be made at at the midday press conference.

De Lille is expected to stay on as mayor until August 31, during which time it is reported she would be expected to travel to the USA for a visit in her capacity as mayor.

De Lille will stay a party member as part of the deal which, according to a source, was not universally welcomed by party members who felt the public hearings "would clear our name".