Mayor Patricia de Lille says she used more than R600 000 from her pension fund for legal fees to clear her name in some of her cases against the DA.
“It was very high-risk, but to me it was an investment to clear my name,” she told the Weekend Argus.
“I grew up very poor. I’m not into luxury. I was prepared that should I not have the means one day, at least I had cleared my name. And that was an investment. But I’m not going to retire soon. I can easily make sure that I grow my pension again.”
The DA was ordered to pay the costs and the funds are going through a taxation process before she will get her money back.
De Lille has resigned as mayor and will step down at the end of October.
Meanwhile, De Lille visited Pelican Park on Friday as part of her mayoral pop-up offices where she likened her fight against the DA to a woman who was being abused.
ABUSE: De Lille has likened her fight against the DA to a woman who was being abused. Video: Genevieve Serra
“People have actually said I was corrupt and up to today no one can come with any piece of evidence. In fact, I had to go to the court, to compel the party to give evidence,” she said.
“I always say this to women, when you are in abusive an relationship, don’t stay, walk away.”
She popped in at the new clinic which was being built at a cost of R47 million, and vowed it would be completed by year-end.
She said the City was proposing Phase 2 of the housing development in Pelican Park, which should benefit a further 2300 people.