A vote on a motion of no confidence against Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille will go ahead, despite the ANC caucus withdrawing their motion at the last minute.
The DA caucus in the Western Cape confirmed on Wednesday that the party’s federal executive has given its approval to bring a motion of no confidence at Wednesday’s full council meeting.
The DA Western Cape leader Bonginkosi Madikizela said the party’s highest decision-making body has given the green light for the motion to proceed. The vote was requested by Bellville South ward councillor Mercia Kleinsmith, who recently penned an open letter to the City Of Cape Town caucus chairperson Suzette Little.
On Wednesday the ANC in the Western Cape said in a statement that it had withdrawn its motion of no confidence.
The council will also discuss a damning report by the auditor-general on Cape Town’s finances and De Lille is expected to answer for R47-million in “irregular expenditure”‚ costing the city a clean audit.
The auditor-general’s report was based on the consolidated annual financial statements for 2016/2017‚ signed on September 29‚ 2017‚ by then-city manager Achmat Ebrahim‚ who has since resigned.
The statements list three instances of irregular expenditure amounting to a total of just over R47-million.
The DA caucus of the City of Cape Town last week decided by 84 votes to 59 to remove De Lille as mayor. The DA also said that its federal executive is nearing the completion of its investigation into De Lille’s conduct.
De Lille is currently facing the toughest time in her political career as the DA prepares to welcome new leadership. She has been mayor of Cape town since 2011.
DA party leader Mmusi Maimane responded to reports that opposition parties in the Cape Town Council want the auditor-general to review previous years financial statements.
“This raises some serious issues about the leadership style of the mayor again,” Maimane said. He said there was clear evidence of divisive, autocratic leadership from De Lille which has created a paralysing culture of fear.
De Lille remains suspended from the party.
The ACDP’s Grant Haskin said: “We are going to expect that previous year’s financial reports be re-audited, at least going back to 2014/15.”
The ANC’s Xolani Sotashe said. “It will be interesting how the mayor is going to explain to the public why she lied.”
READ MORE: http://www.capetownetc.com/news/motion-no-confidence-de-lille-looms/
Picture: CoCT
