After being kicked out of the DA, De Lille is removed as Cape Town mayor
8 May 2018
Patricia de Lille has been told to vacate her office and return any City property to the City of Cape Town.
This follows a media briefing on Tuesday during which the DA announced that De Lille was no longer a member of the party.
The DA cited clause 3.5.1.2 in its constitution, which says if a member publicly declares his or her intention to resign, then their membership ceases immediately.
De Lille was given a letter on Tuesday informing her of this decision and told she was being removed as mayor of Cape Town.
Speaker Dirk Smit has appointed her former deputy Ian Neilson as acting mayor.
"The Democratic Alliance has ceased the party membership of Patricia de Lille.
"This means she has lost her seat as a councillor and is therefore no longer the executive mayor of Cape Town, with immediate effect," said Neilson.
The mayoral committee was also dissolved with immediate effect, and an interim structure will be put in place.
Only Neilson and Smit are political authorities within the City of Cape Town.
The DA says City manager Lungelo Mbandazayo has informed the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) about the council vacancy.
The IEC's Reverend Courtney Sampson, however, said it not yet received the notice of vacancy. He added that De Lille had also served court papers on the IEC relating to the DA's vacancy declaration.
