De Lille warns DA over 'malicious laying of criminal charges'
Cape Town – Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille has warned her party, the DA, that she will not put up with it allowing the "malicious laying of criminal charges" against her over a R5m bribe allegation.
"We are instructed to advise that the allegations relating to the corrupt overture made by our client to [Anthony] Faul is rejected by our client as being devoid of all truth," read an extract of a letter De Lille sent to the opposition party's leadership.
"Our client has instructed us to advise that all her rights are reserved to take appropriate action against both the DA and Faul arising out of the publication of the contents of the affidavit and the malicious laying of the criminal charges against our client."
Comment from De Lille and her office was not immediately available to elaborate on what type of action she intended taking, but De Lille has said on her social media streams that the DA should have tested the allegations before going to the police.
DA federal executive chairperson James Selfe confirmed to News24 that the party had approached the police on Saturday, with an affidavit they had received from businessman Faul.
He said the allegation in the affidavit dated back to 2012 and related to Faul's negotiations with the City of Cape Town for fire extinguishers for informal settlements.
The allegation is that "at a point, the mayor indicated that he would get the contract if he made a payment of R5m to her", News24 reported on Sunday.
Faul stated in his affidavit that he refused, and the contract did not go through.
De Lille regards the allegations as part of an attempt to remove her from office and has strongly denied them.
Should criminal charges have been laid against me, I will cooperate openly and transparently with the SAPS.I deny and reject the reported allegations with the contempt it deserves.— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) February 4, 2018
Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that a complaint of bribery and corruption was being investigated. He was responding to a request for confirmation that a complaint had been laid against De Lille.
"This office can confirm that a case of bribery and corruption was reported at Cape Town Central [police station] on Friday by a 31-year-old male person.
"The circumstances are under investigation and no one has been charged as yet. Kindly be advised that the identities of the parties concerned cannot be disclosed."
De Lille's spokesperson Zara Nicholson said De Lille was carrying on with her work as usual on Tuesday.
This is the letter my lawyers sent the @Our_DA today, regarding their latest accusation. pic.twitter.com/T5qgUrSoLY— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) February 5, 2018
De Lille faces a motion of no confidence tabled by her own party. It will be debated in council on February 15.
This follows allegations that include misconduct and dereliction of duty following accusations that she tried to bury claims of alleged corruption at the Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA).
