Decoding Patricia de Lille’s next step
De Lille does not exclude the possibility of contesting next year’s elections, either as leader of a new party or as an independent
She may have resigned as mayor of Cape Town, but Patricia de Lille has not disappeared from public life, and she is likely to continue to be a thorn in the side of the DA. For the past 18 months the DA has done its utmost in the face of fierce resistance by De Lille to remove her from its tent, but it is likely to find that she is a lot more trouble outside it. She claims to have had the support of "thousands" in her battle with the party, support that could provide her with a foothold should she decide to re-enter the political arena. Voters are believed to be disillusioned with all the infighting that has rocked the DA and the city council. Allegations of racism within the party, and of its bias towards servicing the affluent areas of the city, have added fuel to this dissatisfaction, which political analysts predict will probably cause a large number of DA supporters to stay away from the polls in next year’s general elections. De Lille has also made damning allegations about a "...
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