CAPE TOWN - A forensic report paints a grim picture of Patricia de Lille's term as mayor of Cape Town and points to misconduct on her part, the Democratic Alliance said on Tuesday.
Natasha Mazzone, the deputy chairwoman of the DA's federal executive, said the report would be tabled at a meeting of the city council on Thursday and asked De Lille not to pre-empt the matter.
Media reports have said that the report recommends that disciplinary action be taken against the former mayor, who will step down at the end of the month after a bruising year-long battle with the party over allegations of corruption within the council.
Mazzone said it should be noted that there were two reports on strife within the city council, and that both "by all accounts point to continuous interference and misconduct by Patricia de Lille.
"The second more substantive report, which by all accounts includes 2,000 pages of detailed evidence, based on interviews, legal submissions and other inputs, paints a grim picture of Patricia de Lille’s conduct as mayor."
Mazzone said the party would await Thursday's meeting to deal with the report.
"We would be hopeful that Ms de Lille and her associates do not seek to confuse the public any further on this matter."
De Lille told the African News Agency (ANA) she would comment on the findings once she has taken legal advice.
"I will release a statement after I have studied the report and consulted my lawyers."
The DA appointed prominent law firm Bowmans last year to probe alleged maladministration and misconduct in the council after whistleblowers pointed to tender irregularities in the powerful Transport and Development Authority (TDA). The probe led to disciplinary charges against former transport commissioner Melissa Whitehead.
City manager Achmat Ebrahim quit in January amid moves to suspend him for allegedly not reporting corruption to the council.
According to media reports, Bowmans' investigators recommend that both the mayor and the former manager face charges for failing to bring information about irregularities in the procurement of electronic buses and the tender process for the stalled Foreshore Freeway Precinct to the council's attention.
De Lille agreed to bow out as mayor after negotiations with DA leader Mmusi Maimane in July. At the time, she claimed that her name had been cleared of any wrongdoing.