DA FedEx to urgently consider internal Patricia de Lille motion request

17th April 2018 By: News24Wire

DA FedEx to urgently consider internal Patricia de Lille motion request

Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille
Photo by: Reuters

The Democratic Alliance's (DA's) federal executive is to urgently consider the DA Cape Town caucus' request to table a fresh internal motion of no confidence against Mayor Patricia de Lille.

Western Cape DA leader Bonginkosi Madikizela confirmed to News24 that the federal executive would convene at 09:00 on Wednesday to discuss the matter.

"It's an urgent meeting that was convened to deal with the request of the motion," he said on Tuesday.

The outcome of the federal executive's decision will be communicated at the closure of the meeting via a statement, he said.

If body approves the matter, the caucus itself will decide the date for a special caucus sitting where De Lille's future will be voted on, he added.

The party's Cape Town caucus resolved on Monday to write to the federal executive to ask for permission to table a new motion, as per the party's new rules, deputy caucus leader JP Smith told News24.

Two thirds in favour of new rules

This after the DA amended its constitution at its federal congress last weekend to include a "recall clause" for members elected to an executive post, like De Lille.

According to the new rules, if a member in an executive post has lost the confidence of their caucus, that caucus could lobby the party's federal executive to remove that deployee.

Smith said two thirds of the caucus agreed to the move. Roughly 10% abstained, while the rest, approximately 23%, voted against it.

If the federal executive approves, a special caucus sitting will be convened where DA councillors will vote on the internal motion via secret ballot, he said.

Should the motion pass, the outcome will then be communicated back to the federal executive for a final resolution. It will decide whether to activate the new "recall clause" in chapter 6 of the DA's constitution.

A vote of no confidence requires a 50% + 1 threshold to pass.

'Recall clause is a De Lille clause'

If De Lille is voted out and subsequently recalled, she will remain an ordinary member of the council and a DA member. The council will then elect a new mayor who can appoint his or her own mayoral committee.

De Lille meanwhile took to Twitter on Monday evening to scoff at the speed with which the party has acted following the adoption of the "recall clause" at its congress last weekend.

"The latest move by the DA caucus proves that the recall clause is a De Lille clause and that the DA's constitution was especially amended to have me removed," she tweeted.

The DA has previously maintained that the party does "not legislate according to individuals", when questioned about the clause being used to remove De Lille.