'Tremors within the DA' - analyst on De Lille's resignation
30 January 2017
Cape Town - "There are tremors within the Democratic Alliance," an analyst said on Monday, following Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille's resignation as the party’s provincial leader.
University of Stellenbosch School of Public Leadership’s Professor Erwin Schwella believes there is more to De Lille’s resignation, which she announced in the media on Monday morning, saying she wanted to focus more on her mayoral duties.
"It is still not an earthquake, but there are tremors within the DA," said Schwella.
He said the DA was one party that was able to manage its internal squabbles.
"There was a lot of contestation around the appointments of the Mayoral Committee Members…"
He said this indicated that there were issues in the party.
"The fact that she [De Lille] makes it explicit that she is not going to run for the position of provincial premier [in 2019] says something. I think in the provincial party there may have been concerns that she was appointed as the provincial leader, with the idea that she would remain as mayor and that after her term the position gets reconsidered.
'Astute politician'
"However, there might have also been indications in the party that she might have been [becoming] more ambitious, which she now has to clear up and make dead certain that that particular inference is not there, because it does create the possibility for internal conflict with other aspirant provincial leaders."
When asked if there had perhaps been a fall out among the leaders, Schwella said there was always a need to "show a united front" because rifts in parties, and people having their own political agendas, could be potentially disruptive.
He said all political parties frame the argument in a particular way “when these sorts of things happen”.
"Ms De Lille is a very astute politician and she decided... to make herself available as the provincial leader of the party, knowing full well that she would become the mayor of Cape Town."
The question then is, what has changed, asked Schwella.
'Younger leader'
Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said De Lille’s unexpected resignation could be a sign that the party was looking toward the 2019 general elections.
"My sense was that she is stepping aside. I think there is a deliberate effort within the DA to try and bring in younger people," Mathekga said.
"My outlook is that maybe it will pave the way for a younger leader with more energy to take the party forward, and that might just be the game plan within the DA."
He said the average age for a political leader across South Africa's political parties is 61.
De Lille, 65, had had an illustrious career as one of the "mothers of South African democracy", he said. Some of her achievements include exposing the arms deal in 1999 in Parliament and serving two terms as Cape Town mayor.
"With the absence of any other explanation, I think we can say that De Lille maybe feels she has done all she can. She has had a very interesting political journey and will allow younger people to take the party forward."
2019 in view
He said that South Africans - and Africans in general - were not used to leaders stepping down of their own accord and with grace, and said the practice should become more common.
"At some point when you're a leader you realise you just can't take things forward. There will always be reasons, of course, around whatever internal wrangles, but at the end of the day, the space is now there for a younger leader in the party [to emerge]."
He said the DA was now positioning itself for the 2019 elections.The party historically did not have a problem in the Western Cape, and the DA would now look to consolidate their position in the province, he said.
DA federal executive chairperson James Selfe told News24 that provincial deputy leader Bonginkosi Madikizela would serve in the interim until the next provincial congress, which is meant to be in February.
Selfe said the party had not yet decided on timelines, but would know next week when the next provincial congress would be called.
Maimane accepts De Lille's resignation as DA Western Cape leader
Cape Town - DA leader Mmusi Maimane has accepted Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille's resignation as the party’s Western Cape leader, his spokesperson said on Monday.
De Lille sent Maimane her letter of resignation on Friday, Mabine Seabe said told News24.
De Lille revealed her decision in an exclusive interview with the Cape Argus published on Monday morning. She said wanted to focus on her mayoral duties.
“Taking the City of Cape Town to the next level of government is an exciting prospect, but one that will take all of my time,” she was quoted as saying.
Seabe said her resignation was effective from Wednesday.
“The DA wishes Ms De Lille well in her continued leadership as mayor of Cape Town. We wish to thank her for leadership and commitment to the DA. She was very much responsible for the two-thirds majority that we have in Cape Town.”
Seabe said De Lille had six strategic objectives she wanted to focus on and had made significant progress in achieving them.
“And as the party in government we will ensure that we continue to support her in trying to deliver those promises to the people of Cape Town.”
Maimane and De Lille “had enjoyed a smooth relationship”.
“We will continue to support Ms De Lille in her work,” Seabe said.
'I am not afraid of any battle' – De Lille on stepping down
Cape Town – "I am not afraid of any battle," Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille said on Monday, a jibe directed at those who may be questioning her decision to step down as DA Western Cape leader.
In an interview with News24 on Monday morning, De Lille confirmed that she had resigned as the provincial leader as from Wednesday, after nearly two years at the helm.
Her resignation came to light after an exclusive interview was published in the Cape Argus on Monday.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane, through his spokesperson Mabina Seabe, confirmed that De Lille had resigned on Friday and that he had accepted her resignation.
De Lille said she now wanted to focus on serving the people of the City of Cape Town.
"South Africa knows me better. They know that I am sincere and that I have the passion. That my word is my honour and that integrity is something that you cannot buy in politics, and I have always made sure that I always speak the truth.
"I am determined to lead by example... and to help show other municipalities that this is what can be achieved in government."
'I do not gossip'
De Lille said she wanted to spread the success of the City of Cape Town to other municipalities and other metros around the country.
"I am not afraid of any battle. If I have differences with other leaders in the DA, they know me, I do not gossip. I will go to you, we will sit down and I ask you what is your problem, and we will discuss it.
"I am not a person that will get involved in gossip and nobody will gossip with me… Sometimes people say things out of jealousy or people don’t agree with what I stand for or what I do, I am convinced in my mind and deep down in my heart that what I am doing, is what I am asked in terms of the Constitution of this country."
De Lille thanked the people in the Western Cape for electing her to the position.
"Under my leadership we were able to win new municipalities, especially in the rural areas. We also increased a share of our voters in Cape Town to a two-thirds majority, we have also seen unprecedented growth in ANC strongholds.”
She said the responsibility of a two-thirds majority weighed heavily on her.
"When you have got this kind of support it does not give you a licence to be arrogant to power. It rather provides an opportunity to use the two-thirds majority mandate to do better and to take government to the next level.
'I think the people of Cape Town deserve it'
De Lille said the City of Cape Town has worked to redress the injustices of the past.
"We have adopted the new Organisational Developmental and Transformation Plan that will improve service delivery, bring clarity of services, bring services closer to the most vulnerable people."
She said there was still a lot that needed to be done to address the legacy of apartheid, "so that we can continue to make progress".
She said these exciting new changes would demand more of her time.
"I am absolutely determined to give this new task my utmost dedication and that is why I have decided to step down as the DA leader in the Western Cape, so that I can apply my mind fully to this. I think the people of Cape Town deserve it."
She said she also wanted to address apartheid's spatial planning in the inner city.
'We are party of government'
When asked how Maimane took the news of her resignation, she said: "At first he was not happy, but when I explained to him why I wanted to resign, and we discussed the decision, he supported my move, especially given the strategic enforcement of our government to realise the DA’s values and principles."
De Lille said the DA provincial council would on February 25 elect an interim leader that would take the party through to the conference in November 2017.
"The new leadership must own rural issues because the problems in the rural areas are different to the urban areas.
"The new leadership must be committed to winning new DA supporters in municipalities and metros. It must also make the DA a political home for everyone, as well as communicate that we are a party of government, and they must engage with activists and the people."
De Lille said the new leader must also share the lessons of government with voters.
"Communication with voters and with activists is key… My advice to whoever is going to take over is that they must make sure that they live by these values and that they implement these values so that we can continue to be the party of choice," De Lille said.
