DA member or not? De Lille judgement expected
The Western Cape High Court is expected to hand down its judgement on Wednesday morning on whether Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille is still a member of the Democratic Alliance (DA).
The embattled leader's membership was rescinded after a radio interview where she said that she would resign as soon as she is able to clear her name.
The Western Cape High Court will deliver judgment on my matter against the DA on Wednesday at 9:30.
— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) June 25, 2018
The DA reacted by saying this was a contravention according to it's cessation clause in it's constitution.
De Lille's legal counsel, led by Advocate Dali Mpofu, argued that the clause is inconsistent with the laws of the country and hearing the matter insults the court's intelligence.
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Mpofu added that the DA is doing everything in its power to get rid of De Lille, even by impeding on her constitutional rights, including freedom of speech, fairness and right to hold office.
Whether a political divorce is on the cards or not, political analyst Dirk Kotze says the court case exposed the party's internal leadership brawls.
"The perception is that the DA is not managing itself well and therefore there is also a perception that there are other reasons not so much the management style and governance of Patricia de Lille, but rather internal political issues within the DA that is the main driving force for this."