DA Caucus chair quits

As divisions in the City of Cape Town DA Caucus deepen, Area North Mayco Member, Suzette Little, has quit as caucus chair.

This comes amid a spat in the caucus meeting on Monday over a proposal to amend the caucus regulations.

In a letter addressed to DA leader Mmusi Maimane and federal chairperson, James Selfe, Little resigned after Deputy Leader JP Smith called for the implementation of the recommendations in the Steenhuisen Commission regarding the re-election of the caucus leadership.

“This was announced to the full caucus as having been discussed with Federal and that the rules had to be amended so this re-election could take place. This is yet another form of victimisation against those who voted against the Motion of No Confidence,” Little wrote.

This motion saw Mayor Patricia de Lille’s job being saved by just one vote earlier this month.

While almost 75% of DA councillors voted for De Lille to go, opposition parties along with the remaining DA councillors voted to keep her.

But Smith says Little has used the Steenhuisen Commission to mislead the party and that the caucus rules were changed by Little and other councillors some time ago.

“The old rules indicated there could be a mid-term re-election, but the way they changed it means they would serve for the entire (five-year) term. I proposed the amendments to the regulations to put the

decision-making powers in the hands of the entire caucus and asked for an election of a fresh leadership which means I would also be leaving the caucus executive.”

Caucus members will meet on 5 March to vote on the proposed amendments.

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