TOM EATON: Now that a ‘liberated’ Patricia de Lille has left, for realsies, the only way is up
Extract
It’s been a long walk to freedom for Patricia de Lille.
Just to be clear, those aren’t my words. It would take a very special kind of person to associate Nelson Mandela’s 27 years in prison, or lifetime of public service, with the 18 months of accusations, denials, name-calling, smoke-blowing and general contempt for the citizenry of Cape Town that has played out between De Lille and the DA.
Fortunately, Ms De Lille seems to be a very special kind of person.
Speaking to the press this week as she said her final goodbyes (not to be confused with her final goodbyes, which were the other day, or her final goodbyes, which were the other other day), De Lille said, “I am determined to clear my name and I have been successful with three high court judgments in my favour already. So it is my long walk to freedom. After 18 months, I am free from oppression.” I suspect some of her former colleagues are feeling exactly the same way. Her fans, also, are full of fresh enthusiasm and energy. As De Lille resigned, probably definitely for realsies, many were urging her to join the EFF or to revive the Independent Democrats (ID). To be fair, donning a red beret and calling for economic collapse in our lifetime wouldn’t be too big a leap for De Lille, who first hit the headlines in the early 1990s as one of the PAC’s two dozen remaining members. It was there that the young radical called for “One settler, one bullet!”, expressed outrage that vigilante bo...
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