Patricia de Lille is creating "deep fault lines" in the Cape's top leadership, says her own administration.
|||Cape Town - Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille’s “street fighter” leadership style is creating “deep fault lines” in the City of Cape Town’s top political leadership, the mayoral committee, since it is believed she “rewards those close to her for sycophancy, rather than for competency”.
High-level staff have also been redeployed from the provincial government to “manage” her, according to sources.
And she has muzzled senior officials with expertise about critical council issues and no political affiliation, from speaking to the media.
These are just some of the allegations being levelled at the mayor, from within her administration.
The Cape Argus sent the mayor’s office a list of questions to which her answers were “nonsense”, “this is nonsense”, and “this is complete nonsense”.
De Lille ended off by saying: “It will be highly appreciated if the Argus gets facts that can lead to a proper response but the mayor will not be involved in speculation by faceless, nameless and useless people who are not prepared to substantiate their allegations.”
Sources, who spoke to the Cape Argus on condition of anonymity, have described her relationships with councillors and officials as “far from collegial”. There is, they say, a growing unease in the corridors of the Civic Centre, where De Lille reportedly rules with an iron fist.
Fear, suspicion and distrust are said to prevail in the “city that works for you”, although De Lille has rubbished the claims, which come from within her administration, as “complete nonsense”.
Questions have also been raised about some of De Lille’s staffing choices.
Belinda Walker’s move from corporate services to community services was viewed by many as a “demotion”. ANC city leader Tony Ehrenreich complained to the SA Local Government Association after De Lille appointed former ID stalwart Gerhard Ras as executive director of compliance and auxiliary services. Ras previously served as a mayoral committee member and then as city manager in the George municipality.
As one source explained, there appeared to be a united front in public, but behind closed doors the tension between mayoral committee members was palpable.
The mayoral committee must approve matters before they are submitted to council for final approval.
Another concern from within the top leadership is that De Lille “trusts no one”.
Even within her office, her dealings with staff have been described as “cool” and “uncomfortable”.
De Lille’s relationship with Paul Boughey, who was moved to the city from the province to serve as De Lille’s chief of staff, is said to lack the level of understanding Helen Zille enjoyed with her staff when she was mayor.
Another familiar face sent to the city by Zille, as leader of the DA and Western Cape premier, is Brent Gerber.
He has been moved to the city to head a new intergovernmental housing initiative, but talk within political circles in both the city and the province is that he was moved because of growing tensions between him and Zille, and to keep an eye on De Lille.
Gerber has denied these allegations, and the post is reportedly just a three-month contract.
De Lille has also tightened the reins on reporting lines in the city.
Officials who are not political appointees may no longer speak to the media.
Only mayoral committee members, who have been handpicked by De Lille, may provide official statements. The Cape Argus reported on this spin city-like situation last July.
Although De Lille is into her third year at the city’s helm, the talk among those in the political know is that she is unlikely to stick around for another term and that moves are already being made to shuffle the city’s top leadership to provincial or national government ahead of next year’s general election. But De Lille says speculation that she will move up to be premier of the Northern Cape next year is “nonsense” too.
In 2005, an informal survey of Capetonians named De Lille as “the most credible” politician and one who would be a worthy mayor or premier. But sources maintain there is a growing sense of unease at the way she imposes her will in all aspects of council business.
Cape Argus