Several church leaders and supporters of embattled Mayor Patricia de Lille have vowed to rally behind her no matter what the Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Executive committee decides about her future.
On Sunday January 14, Ms De Lille received a heroe’s welcome by the World Harvest Christian Ministries at Johnson Ngwevela Hall.
The clergy prayed for Ms De Lille while singing praise of the work she has done for the city.
Some of her supporters held up posters saying: De Lille where you go we go; Siyakuxhasa mama wethu wamahlwempu; Mother of the poor; Phansti ngoongqondo gqwirha phansti; Mama de Lille 4 Cape Town; and Hands off the people’s mayor.
Despite the mayor’s future still being undecided, some supporters said it was clear Ms De Lille was no longer wanted in the party.
Some supporters even threatened that if she is fired, they would go back to the African National Congress (ANC).
Archbishop Lucas Mnqantsa of the World Harvest Christian Ministries said Ms De Lille had asked the men of God to pray for her.
He said she was not the first person to ask the clergy to intervene when things were not going right.
Before praying for her, Archbishop Mnqantsa said they were fully behind the mayor because she was a caring, loving and respected person who cared for the poor.
He said she has brought stability in the metro.
“Let everything go smoothly in the City. Should there be havoc, service delivery will affect us.
“She is a credible leader who has done wonders. During apartheid, service delivery was uneven. Since she became a mayor a lot has changed.
“We have seen many good things under her leadership,” he told those gathered at the hall.
He said the mayor had not done anything wrong by approaching church leaders.
Addressing congregants in the packed hall, the embattled mayor said that if her accusers failed to prove that she was corrupt they would have to clear her name. She said she wanted a fair and unbiased investigation into the corruption case against her or she would seek a legal assistance from the courts.
She said she feared no one but God.
“She refuted claims that she was corrupt and said she was ready to clear her name.
She said she would fight those wanting to bring her down, all the way to the Constitutional Court if necessary.
“I was given a duty by the citizens of Cape Town and I will continue with that. I am not corrupt and I will never be corrupt. I will clear my name.
“The only thing that I am appealing for is a fair trial.
“Do not find me guilty before the trial,” she said.
“While people are sitting somewhere to decide what to do with me,” she said referring to the DA’s federal executive committee, “let us pray for them, that the Lord will give them wisdom.
“Let God give them the minds and the brains to be honest, and to speak the truth,” she said.
She said evil would never triumph.
Talking to the media, Ms De Lille said she was happy that she was finally speaking about her ordeal.
She described the last four months as tough for her.
She said she was happy to have broken her silence over allegations of tender fraud and corruption against her.
She said she would never forget the day the clergymen made her cry.
