Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille has slammed the Democratic Alliance for wanting "to get rid" of her "as soon as possible", after its federal executive gave the go-ahead to a request to table a motion of no confidence against her.
The DA's federal executive on Wednesday acceded to the request made by the party's Cape Town caucus to table an internal motion of no confidence against the embattled mayor, as per the party's new rules.
The new developments follow after DA delegates approved a "recall clause" at its federal congress in Tshwane last weekend, allowing caucuses to do so.
De Lille on Wednesday responded to the approval, once again slamming her party and DA leader Mmusi Maimane, in what appears to be her final few days as mayor.
"The DA, including the DA leader, have denied that this clause was designed for me, but this proves that the recall clause was designed to get rid of me as soon as possible," she said on Twitter.
"The question the DA must answer is why they are not prepared to wait for the outcome of their own processes - the disciplinary hearings."
De Lille is currently the subject of internal disciplinary processes in the party, which were postponed indefinitely last month after one of the panel chairpersons recused himself.
"Why are they looking for a shortcut and why are they objecting to my hearings being open to the media and public as requested by me as the accused in these matters?" she continued.
"The DA has made all of these allegations against me in public and, therefore, my response to it must be open to the public.
"This move shows how the party ignores its own processes and having the allegations properly tested.
"I am pressing on, tending to the problems of the poor and vulnerable in our city and doing the job I was elected to do," she finished.
Two-thirds of caucus 'lost faith in her'
In a statement on Wednesday, Western Cape DA leader Bonginkosi Madikizela said it was "incumbent" on the federal executive to consider the request, after two-thirds of councillors supported the call.
They decided to approve the request after considering the factors laid out "in great detail"as to why caucus had lost faith in De Lille.
Their reasons included:
- That they had previously tested their confidence in De Lille in January and found an overwhelming two-thirds majority had lost faith in her. Councillors had, in their view, accused De Lille of breaching the code of conduct for councillors, as well as the constitution of the DA, he said.
- That De Lille’s public criticism of the DA and its management of her case made it seem she "does not consider herself part of the DA any longer".
- Her recent comment that "she is no longer cooperating with the DA" meant she could not effectively govern on a DA mandate.
Motion likely next week
The caucus must provide three working days' notice before the motion is debated and voted on. It will therefore most likely take place sometime next week.
Madikizela also responded to the claims that the "recall clause" was designed for De Lille.
"The accountability clause adopted at the DA’s federal congress allows for the party to establish confidence in any member of the executive.
"However, this must be done to ensure that members of the executive (Mayors, Premiers and Presidents) are held to the high standard which has been set by the DA to serve the people who have elected us into government."
He finished by saying it was important that the City of Cape Town gets back to the business of governance, following a year-and-a-half-long saga.
It was "committed" to providing clean and effecient governance in the city, he added.