Former Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille is expected to announce the name of her new political party on Monday – a fresh start for the embattled politician after what has been a tumultuous year. De Lille announced on Sunday that the Democratic Alliance (DA) is history and she’s moving on to greener pastures by launching a new political party that will contest next year’s elections in all nine provinces.

De Lille said her idea of a new political movement is one that’s going to positively change the political landscape in South Africa.

De Lille said she is willing to take the risk of disrupting the country’s current political trajectory

“I have consulted with my mentors, family and thousands of people have come forward in the past two weeks, drawing up a petition asking me to start a political movement that could be more positive and build a good South Africa. I’ve decided based on evidence and it is now up to South Africans to decide whether the contestation of ideas and the idea of a good South Africa and good people coming together will succeed. I am prepared to take that leap of faith and test the idea,” she said.

She said her party will put people before politics. She promised South Africans a better and safer country for all.

“We will be on the ground and not sit in our offices all day. Our party will build a better country for the next generation. We will look after families and educate our children, so they can liberate themselves. We will work hard to eradicate corruption. We will make change happen for the greater good,” she promised.

The DA saif it is not shaken by De Lille’s new party and that it will take voters away from them – especially in the Western Cape. DA spokesperson Solly Malatsi said their only priority is to serve the people of South Africa.

“Our offer to the people remains the same and that is to continue to be of assistance to them, to improve service delivery and job creation. We will also continue to build safer communities,” he said.

Meanwhile, ANC chairperson in Dullah Omar Xolani Sotashe commended De Lille, adding that it’s a pity it took her so long to make the move.
“It’s a pity it took De Lille two years to realise that the concerns the ANC raised was in fact true.I am not judging her, I support her decision and believe she will succeed,” he said.
EFF Cape Metro regional chairperson Unathi Ntam said De Lille can sway votes from the DA because she has what it takes to convince people to vote for her.
“De Lille was the face behind the DA. People voted for the DA because of De Lille and now that she will start her own party, they will either vote for her party or one of the DA opposition parties,” he stated.

According to political analyst Amanda Gouws, De Lille can expect great challenges, especially with starting a new party so close to elections.

“De Lille stands a fair chance seeing that people are fed up with all existing parties, so out of desperation, people might vote for her. However in the Western Cape, she stands a very good chance,” she said.
Political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu said a political party was not the best option for the De Lille, who had a fallout with the DA after merging her former political party, Independent Democrats with it. He further warned that despite De Lille’s political credentials, a new political party would not last long and will eventually “die a natural death”.