Patricia de Lille
Encyclopedia
Patricia de Lille is a South Africa
n politician and Mayor
of Cape Town
. She is also, concurrently, the leader of the Independent Democrats, a South Africa
n political party which she formed in 2003 during a floor-crossing
window. On 15 August 2010, the ID merged with the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's official opposition, and de Lille has taken on dual party membership.
On 14 March 2011, De Lille beat Grant Pascoe, Shehaam Sims and incumbent Dan Plato
to become the DA's mayoral candidate in Cape Town
, ahead of the 2011 local government elections. She was declared the mayor-elect by the IEC on May 20, 2011.
De Lille was voted 22nd in the Top 100 Great South Africans
, and is noted for her role in investigations into the country's controversial Arms Deal
.
, and attended Bastiaanse Hoërskool. In 1974 she became a laboratory technician at a factory. She remained involved with the same company until 1990. During this time, she became involved in the South African Chemical Workers Union, starting off as a shop steward and then becoming regional secretary, before being elected to National Executive Member in 1983. In 1988 she was elected as National Vice-President of The National Council of Trade Unions
(NACTU), the highest position for a woman in the trade union movement at that time.
In 1989 De Lille was elected onto the National Executive Committee of the Pan Africanist Movement (PAM). In 1994 she led a delegation in the constitutional negotiations that preceded South Africa's first democratic election in 1994
, and was then appointed to the position of Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport from 1994–1999. She also served on various portfolio Committees including Health, Minerals and Energy, Trade and Industry, Communications, the Rules Committee and the Code of Ethics.
Later, she made use of parliamentary privilege to be a whistle-blower on the South African Arms Deal
.
costing £4bn from British and other European manufacturers (that cost has soared on the basis of foreign currency collapses to more than 100 times its original cost). The government rejected De Lille's calls for an independent inquiry to be led by Judge Willem Heath. De Lille said she was accused of being unpatriotic and embarrassing the country as a consequence of her efforts to investigate the Arms Deal."
On 5 April 2009, the Independent Democrats confirmed De Lille's attendance at the announcement of the National Prosecuting Authority
the following day regarding its decision either to drop or to maintain its case against ANC President Jacob Zuma
, who had been implicated in the Arms Deal. In an op-ed for The Sunday Times (South Africa)
, De Lille predicted that the charges would be dropped:
On the morning of the NPA's much-awaited announcement, De Lille was turned away from proceedings, being told that, as a member of the public, she would have to find a television set. Leader of the Democratic Alliance Helen Zille
met with the same fate.
, and in 2004 was awarded the honour of being one of the Top 5 Women in Government and Government Agencies. She was also awarded the 2004 Old Mutual South African Leadership Award in the Category of Woman Leadership.
In July 2006 she was the first woman to be recognised as an Honorary Colonel in the South African National Defence Force. In August 2006 she received the City Press and Rapport Newspaper award as one of top 10 women in South Africa.
At the invitation of Mr. Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations, Ms de Lille was the only South African Member of Parliament who attended the United Nations Millennium Project hosted by the Earth Institute at Columbia University. This high level meeting was convened on 17 September 2006 in New York.
A Markinor survey conducted in 2004 also found that De Lille was South Africa's favourite opposition politician at the time.
, disgruntled former members of the Independent Democrats accused her of running the party in a "undemocratic" manner - in direct contrast with the image of transparency and accountability that she grounded her party on. De Lille told reporters that the dissenters had been fired from the party for fraud and corruption.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n politician and Mayor
Mayor of Cape Town
The Mayor of Cape Town is the head of the local government of Cape Town, South Africa; currently that government takes the form of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality. In the past, the position of Mayor has varied between that of an executive mayor actively governing the city and that...
of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. She is also, concurrently, the leader of the Independent Democrats, a South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n political party which she formed in 2003 during a floor-crossing
Floor crossing (South Africa)
Floor crossing in South Africa was a controversial system under which Members of Parliament, Members of Provincial Legislatures and Local Government councillors could change political party and take their seats with them when they did so...
window. On 15 August 2010, the ID merged with the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's official opposition, and de Lille has taken on dual party membership.
On 14 March 2011, De Lille beat Grant Pascoe, Shehaam Sims and incumbent Dan Plato
Dan Plato
Daniel "Dan" Plato is the Minister for Community Safety in the Western Cape and the former Executive Mayor of Cape Town, South Africa.-References:...
to become the DA's mayoral candidate in Cape Town
Mayor of Cape Town
The Mayor of Cape Town is the head of the local government of Cape Town, South Africa; currently that government takes the form of the City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality. In the past, the position of Mayor has varied between that of an executive mayor actively governing the city and that...
, ahead of the 2011 local government elections. She was declared the mayor-elect by the IEC on May 20, 2011.
De Lille was voted 22nd in the Top 100 Great South Africans
SABC3's Great South Africans
Great South Africans was a South African television series that aired on SABC3 and hosted by Noeleen Maholwana Sangqu and Denis Beckett. In September 2004, thousands of South Africans took part in an informal nationwide poll to determine the "100 Greatest South Africans" of all time...
, and is noted for her role in investigations into the country's controversial Arms Deal
South African Arms Deal
The South African Arms Deal was a US$4.8 billion purchase of weaponry by the South African Government finalised in 1999 which has been subject to allegations of corruption....
.
Background
De Lille was born in 1951 in Beaufort WestBeaufort West
Beaufort West is a town in the Western Cape province in South Africa. It is the largest town in the arid Great Karoo region, and forms part of the Beaufort West Local Municipality, with 37 000 inhabitants in 2001....
, and attended Bastiaanse Hoërskool. In 1974 she became a laboratory technician at a factory. She remained involved with the same company until 1990. During this time, she became involved in the South African Chemical Workers Union, starting off as a shop steward and then becoming regional secretary, before being elected to National Executive Member in 1983. In 1988 she was elected as National Vice-President of The National Council of Trade Unions
National Council of Trade Unions
The National Council of Trade Unions is a national trade union center in South Africa. It has a membership of 397,000 and was formed by the merger of the Council of Unions of South Africa and the Azanian Confederation of Trade Unions ....
(NACTU), the highest position for a woman in the trade union movement at that time.
In 1989 De Lille was elected onto the National Executive Committee of the Pan Africanist Movement (PAM). In 1994 she led a delegation in the constitutional negotiations that preceded South Africa's first democratic election in 1994
South African general election, 1994
The South African general election of 1994 was an election held in South Africa to mark the end of apartheid, therefore also the first held with universal adult suffrage. The election was conducted under the direction of the Independent Electoral Commission .Millions queued in lines over a three...
, and was then appointed to the position of Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport from 1994–1999. She also served on various portfolio Committees including Health, Minerals and Energy, Trade and Industry, Communications, the Rules Committee and the Code of Ethics.
Later, she made use of parliamentary privilege to be a whistle-blower on the South African Arms Deal
South African Arms Deal
The South African Arms Deal was a US$4.8 billion purchase of weaponry by the South African Government finalised in 1999 which has been subject to allegations of corruption....
.
Arms Deal
De Lille led the call for an investigation into alleged corruption in South Africa's purchase of weaponsSouth African Arms Deal
The South African Arms Deal was a US$4.8 billion purchase of weaponry by the South African Government finalised in 1999 which has been subject to allegations of corruption....
costing £4bn from British and other European manufacturers (that cost has soared on the basis of foreign currency collapses to more than 100 times its original cost). The government rejected De Lille's calls for an independent inquiry to be led by Judge Willem Heath. De Lille said she was accused of being unpatriotic and embarrassing the country as a consequence of her efforts to investigate the Arms Deal."
On 5 April 2009, the Independent Democrats confirmed De Lille's attendance at the announcement of the National Prosecuting Authority
National Prosecuting Authority
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa , created a single National Prosecution Authority , which is governed by the National Prosecuting Authority Act...
the following day regarding its decision either to drop or to maintain its case against ANC President Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
, who had been implicated in the Arms Deal. In an op-ed for The Sunday Times (South Africa)
The Sunday Times (South Africa)
The Sunday Times is a popular South African Sunday newspaper. It has an audited circulation of 504,000 and a weekly readership of 3.2 million, making it the largest weekly newspaper in South Africa. Recently it was involved in exposing a corruption scandal involving the South African government's...
, De Lille predicted that the charges would be dropped:
Am I angry? Of course I am angry. I am angry because the majority of our people are not seeing the warning signs that are coming from the ANC, a liberation party that has no respect for the ConstitutionConstitution of South AfricaThe Constitution of South Africa is the supreme law of the country of South Africa. It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the republic, sets out the rights and duties of its citizens, and defines the structure of the government. The current constitution, the country's fifth, was...
and the rule of law and is prepared to erode both just so that one man can become the leader of our country.
By letting these ANC crooks off the hook we are sending entirely the wrong message to our people. Government is saying that there is a way out for those who break the law.
On the morning of the NPA's much-awaited announcement, De Lille was turned away from proceedings, being told that, as a member of the public, she would have to find a television set. Leader of the Democratic Alliance Helen Zille
Helen Zille
Helen Zille is the Premier of the Western Cape, a member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, leader of South Africa's opposition Democratic Alliance political party, and a former Mayor of Cape Town.Zille is a former journalist and anti-apartheid activist, and famously exposed the truth...
met with the same fate.
Awards and recognition
De Lille was awarded the Freedom of the City of Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, and in 2004 was awarded the honour of being one of the Top 5 Women in Government and Government Agencies. She was also awarded the 2004 Old Mutual South African Leadership Award in the Category of Woman Leadership.
In July 2006 she was the first woman to be recognised as an Honorary Colonel in the South African National Defence Force. In August 2006 she received the City Press and Rapport Newspaper award as one of top 10 women in South Africa.
At the invitation of Mr. Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations, Ms de Lille was the only South African Member of Parliament who attended the United Nations Millennium Project hosted by the Earth Institute at Columbia University. This high level meeting was convened on 17 September 2006 in New York.
A Markinor survey conducted in 2004 also found that De Lille was South Africa's favourite opposition politician at the time.
Controversies
During the 2004 general electionSouth African general election, 2004
Legislative elections were held in South Africa on Wednesday, 14 April 2004. The African National Congress of President Thabo Mbeki, which came to power after the end of the apartheid system in 1994, was re-elected with an increased majority....
, disgruntled former members of the Independent Democrats accused her of running the party in a "undemocratic" manner - in direct contrast with the image of transparency and accountability that she grounded her party on. De Lille told reporters that the dissenters had been fired from the party for fraud and corruption.