ANC Statement on the looming court verdict on the matter of DA vs the Mayor of Cape Town
26 June 2018
The ANC in the Western Cape has watched the frantic and maniacal attempt of the Democratic Alliance to rid itself of its mayor with incredulity. Our concern has been on the impact of this morass, now playing itself in our courts, to the dignity of the office of the mayor and the erosion of confidence in that office crippling its ability to serve the city.
As the ANC we long held the view, which as been skillfully demonstrated in court, that the Democratic Alliance case against the Mayor was flawed from the start. The case was not based on any genuine application of their own constitution or need to enforce its clauses but an irrational and desperate attempt to get rid of De Lille by all available means.
The courts demostrated that this particular clause in the DA, that seeks to punish those who express intent to leave the party is not applicable where there is conditionality, as has been demostrated by DA where many DA leaders, including Maimane had expressed an intent to leave the party if certain conditions persisted and this was not taken as an absolute intent to leave the party.
The lawyers therefore correctly argued that it is unjustifiable that when it comes to De Lille, the application of the clause would be different. This further demonstrates that all this DA circus, that is abusing our courts and the Mayor herself, is nothing more than a simple desire to get rid of De Lille as Mayor and put a puppet who will serve only the DA handlers and not the people of Cape Town.