Minister Patricia de Lille decided to dissolve the state-owned entity, which is responsible for social development programme management services and delivering social infrastructure such as schools and clinics, after years of underperformance
City of Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille has survived a motion of no confidence against her by one vote on Thursday.
A total of 110 councillors voted no , with 109 voting yes and three choosing to abstain.
This follows a ruling by Western Cape High Court Judge Robert Henney, who ruled on Wednesday that it was up to Speaker of the City of Cape Town council Dirk Smit to decide if the motion of no confidence in De Lille be voted on via a secret ballot.
He also ordered that the Democratic Alliance (DA) tell its members that they are free to vote in line with their consciences.
De Lille had filed papers to the High Court last Thursday demanding that her fellow DA members in the council caucus be able to vote as they choose through a secret ballot, in case of reprisals.
Commenting after the ruling on Wednesday, De Lille said: “I’ve created the space where they don’t have to fear that there will be reprisals against them.”
She said she was never against the motion itself, but just wanted councillors to vote without worrying about whether they will get in trouble with the DA’s leadership.
Last month, the federal executive authorised its caucus to table a motion of no confidence against De Lille in the council, following allegations of maladministration against her.