Cape Town - At Thursday morning’s City Council meeting, Mayor Patricia de Lille launched a blistering attack on her detractors who she says have been slandering her in the media.
The attack came after recent media reports alleging misconduct and De Lille’s alleged involvement in corruption.
De Lille has previously slammed the 2000-page Bowman Gilfillan’s forensic report which claims that she and former City manager Achmat Ebrahim broke the law when they failed to tell the council about irregular Volvo payments in 2015.
The report also fingers mayoral committee member for transport and urban development Brett Herron and suspended transport and urban development authority commissioner Melissa Whitehead for alleged misconduct in the tender process for electric buses. The report will be tabled in Thursday’s council meeting.
“I have suffered vicious attack to my good name for more than a year and still people are intent on destroying me,” the mayor said.
“I will not allow my good name to be smeared.”
“Public representatives have gone so far as to spread fake reports about me purportedly from the Auditor-General showing their complete disregard for the office of the AG.
De Lille said she will lay criminal charges against the party members who shared fake news posts on social media.
She acknowledged that the council's speaker Dirk Smit has written to councillors about the leaking of information in the Bowmans report and that an investigation has been instituted into the leaks.
“I hope those responsible for this malicious behaviour will be brought to book once and for all.”
LOOK: @PatriciaDeLille says she will very soon lay criminal charges against those party members who shared fake news posts on social media @TheCapeArgus @IOL pic.twitter.com/FCybvgu5Dd
— Marvin Charles (@MarvinCharles17) October 25, 2018
De Lille was tight-lipped on Wednesday when she was asked whether she would be leaving office at the end of the month.
“That was Rodney Lentit who said that I will not be resigning. I had a conversation with him while in Amsterdam (waiting for a flight) where he told me: ‘Should they continue with charging you, you should stay on as mayor.’ That was a statement by Rodney,” she said.
When she was asked if she will be going, De Lille said: “No, no, no, I am following due process. My lawyers have written to Bowman's to seek clarity."
@TheCapeArgus