De Lille justified her sacking was due to 'racism'

The gleeful and glib responses from the DA and their predominantly white educated and well-read middle class supporters to former Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille's resignation on Wednesday October 31 is sickening and reflects a lack of introspection and political nous.

Former DA leader Tony Leon was interviewed on eNCA 1pm news earlier the day and said the DA handled the case badly and must take "responsibility". Compare it to that gadfly Douglas Gibson who criticised her without questioning the DA's poor handling of the saga.

Yes, De Lille didn't behave as well as she could have in the circumstances. But as she said in her statement, she won three court cases against the DA. And I think she would've won the one set down for November - the merits of the case - had the DA not, fearful of that outcome, made a deal with her, which they reneged on by charging her with corruption per the Bowmans' report recommendations. I 

Note their recommendation to criminally charge her is fatuous and based on a misunderstanding of PFMA and MFMA, neither of which makes provision for criminal prosecution unless it's part of criminal misconduct.

I scoffed when she complained "racism" was the motivation behind this. I didn't believe it was, but more that her popularity within the city DA caucus was a threat to them.

But wondering about the visceral dislike to her among the party and their faithful, even if she's not guilty except perhaps for a bit of mismanagement - aren't they all including Helen Zille and Ian 'I can't answer any questions' Neilson - I've thought that a little racism, even subliminally, was a factor. 

She's not like them - not race, education, background or class - so having crossed her largely white DA colleagues in a matter that's still murky, she's deemed the "other", and a racial circling of the wagons began that tried, judged and condemned her without substantive evidence been presented and cross-examined. 

Yes, Patricia, you should have left before now but I think you had justification to complain about injustice.