Cape Town - Mayor Patricia de Lille’s legal counsel, Dali Mpofu, has argued that “it should never happen that judges do the dirty work of a political party”. He was arguing over the party’s failure to resolve disciplinary matters against the embattled De Lille. “All we need is (for the court to rule) that the actions of the DA were invalid, full stop,” said Mpofu.
“If she did all these horrible things, why give her the free pass?” he asked. “We made overtures as long ago as December that this matter should be mediated.
"(But) they’re more interested in saving face,” argued Mpofu. He said ousting was an “unlawful shortcut by the DA”.
Read: Judgment reserved in De Lille vs DA matter
#DeLille given ample time to respond to termination of DA membership'
#DeLille matter should be resolved politically, says judge
Mpofu was appearing on the second day of De Lille’s court application, challenging the validity of the DA’s “cessation clause”, which was used to end her membership of the party after she had given a telephonic interview to Talk Radio 702/CapeTalk. In the interview, De Lille said she would resign from the DA as soon as she was cleared in a disciplinary process.
The DA’s counsel, Sean Rosenberg, argued that the 24-hour notice period given to De Lille, informing her that her membership of the party had ceased, was adequate. Asked by Judge André le Grange whether the period was reasonable in expecting De Lille to mount a defence, Rosenberg said it would pass the test of “reasonableness”.
He said the DA was aware that its relationship with De Lille was contractual, the degree of which was dependent on the contractual provisions. In a moment of levity, Judge le Grange shot back: “So you want us to pull the trigger on De Lille? The DA can’t get it right so you want us to do it for you?”
Judgment was reserved.