De Lille’s exit from DA has not divided the party

De Lille’s exit from DA has not divided the party - Maimane

Patricia de Lille resigned in October after a protracted and bitter battle with the party over alleged maladministration claims.

Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane during a press briefing in Johannesburg on 21 May 2018. Picture: Sethembiso Zulu/EWN

Lindsay Dentlinger | 100 days ago

CAPE TOWN – Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has flatly denied that his party’s handling of the removal of former Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille has divided the party.

On Monday, Maimane told the Cape Town Press Club that the DA is committed to holding its public representatives accountable even when it appears not to be politically expedient to do so ahead of a crucial election.

De Lille resigned in October after a protracted and bitter battle with the party over alleged maladministration claims.

Maimane is denying there are divisions within the DA as it heads to the polls to strengthen its position in the Western Cape.

It’s also setting its sights on making inroads in Gauteng and the Northern Cape.

Asked what impact he thinks the De Lille saga will have the party's electoral ambitions, Maimane said the DA has moved on.

“We had to get over last year. I make no apologies about it. It's always difficult. But one thing is for sure having got through that, our focus now is one SA for all.”

Maimane says if the DA loses political ground for standing up against corruption, then so be it.

(Edited by Thapelo Lekabe)

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De Lille’s exit from DA has not divided the party - Maimane

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