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Suspended Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille has survived a motion of no confidence – by one vote.

224 council members cast their ballots. 109 voted for her to leave office. 110 voted that she stay, 3 abstained and two did not vote.

She has been facing the toughest time in her political career as the DA prepares to welcome new leadership. De Lille has been mayor of Cape town since 2011.

De Lille is accused of blocking an investigation into transport commissioner Melissa Whitehead.
The metro council is taking disciplinary action against city manager Achmat Ebrahim and Whitehead, who are accused of tender irregularities involving the MyCiti bus system.

De Lille’s advocate, Dali Mpofu SC, said yesterday that the councillors will not vote fairly if Mmusi Maimane and James Selfe are keeping an eye on them.

“We know that they want to remove her,” Mpofu said. “They have made it abundantly clear in media statements that they want the mayor out of office. And she has said that she is okay with that. But let’s be honest, those councillors won’t vote freely if they know that James Selfe and Mmusi (Maimane) are watching them.”

Mpofu added that it would take 116 counsellors for the motion to be a triumph.

The ballot was open but that didn’t seem to matter. De Lille walked away victorious.

 

Picture: Twitter

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Nidha Narrandes is a food-obsessed travel addict with 21 years of journalism experience. Her motto - Travel. Eat. Repeat. She is happiest on a road to nowhere without a plan. A masterchef at home, she can't do without chilli - because chilli makes the world a tastier place.