THE VOTERS OF CAPE TOWN APPLAUD PATRICIA DE LILLE, MAYOR OF CAPE TOWN, FOR FINDING MORE GROUND WATER FOR THE CITY 18th January 2018 Dear supporters of this petition Thank you for your continued support. Our petition now stands at 1,324 supporters and growing each day. My target is to mobilize 100,000 Cape Town voters to back Patricia De Lille to remain the mayor of Cape Town. This is possible. I have done this with a previous international petition. My petition to the United Nations to STOP THE FARM MURDERS IN SOUTH AFRICA already now has 133,425 supporters. See my petition at: https://www.change.org/p/the-secretary-general-of-the-united-nations-end-farm-murders-in-south-africa We, the voters of Cape Town, regret the resignation of Mr. Ebrahim with effect from Friday 12 January 2018 and we applaud Mayor De Lille’s resolve to resist a power hungry, male-dominated DA Federal Executive’s attempts to oust her as the mayor of Cape Town. “In his resignation letter, Mr. Ebrahim made it clear that he is able to quite easily defend the allegations made against him in the Bowman Gilfillan Inc. report. He further stated that, in terms of the ongoing investigations, he would furnish my (i.e. the Mayor’s) office with copies of all the evidence files as they pertain to his involvement in these allegations which have already been handed to Bowman Gilfillan Inc. and which clearly show that the allegations against him are baseless. After almost 40 years of dedicated and loyal service with an unblemished record, he stated in his letter that his obvious primary consideration at this stage of his life was that of his personal and his family’s wellbeing. Mr. Ebrahim expressed his thanks for the excellent leadership and political guidance stating it was a tremendous honour for him to serve with me (i.e. the mayor) as the Executive Mayor. He also paid tribute to all of the many excellent staff in the City who contributed to make Cape Town the well-run and beautiful city that it is.” The Bowman Gilfillan report, which is being contested by De Lille as a biased report, is not as ‘independent’ and ‘unbiased’ as the DA Federal Executive wants us, voters, to believe. If the DA Federal Executive is serious about transparency, accountability, and justice, then give us what we want: AN INDEPENDENT JUDICIAL INQUIRY BY A RETIRED JUDGE (LIKE DIKGANG MOSENEKE) INTO ALL THE ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION AND MISMANAGEMENT IN THE CITY OF CAPE TOWN. We, the voters of Cape Town, do not trust biased reports like the Bowman Gilfillan report. As a Cape Town registered voter, allow me to ask the DA Federal Executive this one question: Do you have any concrete evidence that the Mayor of Cape Town has overstepped her functions and executive powers in terms of section 56 of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT: MUNICIPAL STRUCTURES ACT 117 OF 1998. These are mayor De Lille’s functions and powers in terms of our South African law: Section 56 Functions and powers of executive mayors (1) An executive mayor is entitled to receive reports from committees of the municipal council and to forward these reports together with a recommendation to the council when the matter cannot be disposed of by the executive mayor in terms of the executive mayor's delegated powers. (2) The executive mayor must (a) identify the needs of the municipality; (b) review and evaluate those needs in order of priority; (c) recommend to the municipal council strategies, programmes and services to address priority needs through the integrated development plan, and the estimates of revenue and expenditure, taking into account any applicable national and provincial development plans; and (d) recommend or determine the best way, including partnership and other approaches, to deliver those strategies, programmes and services to the maximum benefit of the community. (3) The executive mayor in performing the duties of office, must (a) identify and develop criteria in terms of which progress in the implementation of the strategies, programmes and services referred to in subsection (2) (c) can be evaluated, including key performance indicators which are specific to the municipality and common to local government in general; (b) evaluate progress against the key performance indicators; (c) review the performance of the municipality in order to improve (i) the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of the municipality; (ii) the efficiency of credit control and revenue and debt collection services; and (iii) the implementation of the municipality's by-laws; (d) monitor the management of the municipality's administration in accordance with the directions of the municipal council; (e) oversee the provision of services to communities in the municipality in a sustainable manner; (f) perform such duties and exercise such powers as the council may delegate to the executive mayor in terms of section 59 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act 32 of 2000); [Para. (f) amended by s. 16 (a) of Act 51 of 2002.] (g) annually report on the involvement of communities and community organisations in the affairs of the municipality; and (h) ensure that regard is given to public views and report on the effect of consultation on the decisions of the council. (4) An executive mayor must perform a ceremonial role as the municipal council may determine. (5) An executive mayor must report to the municipal council on all decisions taken by the executive mayor.” The DA Federal Executive may not amend or diminish any of these functions and powers, which they are attempting to do in their charge sheet against Mayor De Lille. In conclusion, let me remind the DA of the history in the Western Cape: 1. The ANC was once in power and appointed Ebrahim Rasool as the Premier with an ANC Western Cape executive; 2. The ANC once controlled the City of Cape Town and appointed Nomaindia as Mayor and ANC led city executive. But because of their arrogance and corruption, we the voters (predominantly coloured) in the Western Cape decided to vote for the DA to get rid of the ANC. The ANC will never ever control the City of Cape Town or the Western Cape again. The DA should honour their deal with Patricia De Lille, you gave her the position of Executive Mayor of Cape Town in exchange for the disbandment of the ID and for De Lille to campaign for the DA in 2011 and 2016 elections. If you renege on this agreement, we will withdraw our vote from the DA in the 2019 national elections. As voters, we are not against the DA if you want to discipline De Lille for mistakes she has made, but we are dead against you removing her as the Executive Mayor of Cape Town or reducing her functions and powers as prescribed by law. If the DA councillors vote in favour of the ANC’s motion of no confidence in De Lille, we, the voters, will regard it as a betrayal of our support to the DA and the DA will pay a heavy price in 2019. So be my guest DA, commit political suicide by voting with the ANC against De Lille in the motion of no confidence and let’s see what happens in 2019. What happened to the ANC in the Western Cape, can also happen to the DA in 2019. REFERENCES: CAPE TOWN – THE BEST MANAGED CITY IN SOUTH AFRICA https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/city-of-cape-town-best-financially-managed-metro-2012258 https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/news/2016-07-07-cape-town-voted-top-city-in-africa/ https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2015-11-30-cape-town-in-bid-to-win-worlds-best-city-fourth-time-running/ The Bowman’s report https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-01-12-da-accused-of-hypocrisy-in-its-handling-of-patricia-de-lille-controversy/#.Wl3HOqiWaMp http://ewn.co.za/2018/01/06/de-lille-says-bowman-report-contains-factual-errors RATINGS AFRIKA https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/south-africa/60-key-municipalities-financial-trouble-ratings-afrika/ MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE IN DE LILLE http://ewn.co.za/2018/01/16/da-won-t-stop-councillors-voting-in-favour-of-no-confidence-motion-in-de-lille http://ewn.co.za/2018/01/17/anc-demands-immediate-removal-of-patricia-de-lille-as-mayor http://ewn.co.za/2018/01/15/de-lille-to-fight-da-s-decision-to-diminish-her-powers DISCIPLINARY HEARING FOR DE LILLE http://ewn.co.za/2018/01/16/city-of-ct-speaker-chief-whip-could-face-disciplinary-charges http://ewn.co.za/2018/01/16/ag-looking-to-further-prove-security-upgrades-at-de-lille-s-house http://ewn.co.za/2018/01/12/whistle-blower-kesson-threatens-legal-action-against-de-lille http://ewn.co.za/2018/01/14/de-lille-welcomes-opportunity-to-present-her-side-of-the-story GROUND WATER FOR CAPE TOWN http://www.capetown.gov.za/Media-and-news/City%20starts%20drilling%20for%20groundwater%20from%20the%20Cape%20Flats%20aquifer%20in%20Mitchells%20Plain http://ewn.co.za/2018/01/17/de-lille-i-will-continue-to-manage-city-reponse-to-water-crisis