Patricia de Lille

Patricia de Lille
Minister of Tourism
Assumed office
6 March 2023
PresidentCyril Ramaphosa
DeputyFish Mahlalela
Maggie Sotyu
Preceded byLindiwe Sisulu
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
In office
30 May 2019 – 6 March 2023
PresidentCyril Ramaphosa
DeputyNoxolo Kiviet
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded bySihle Zikalala
Leader of Good
Assumed office
2 December 2018
Preceded byParty founded
Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
Assumed office
22 May 2019
In office
10 May 1994 – 10 September 2010
Mayor of Cape Town
In office
1 June 2011 – 31 October 2018
Mayorship suspended: 8–15 May 2018
DeputyIan Neilson
Preceded byDan Plato
Succeeded byIan Neilson (acting)
Dan Plato
Western Cape Provincial Minister of Social Development
In office
22 September 2010 – 31 May 2011
PremierHelen Zille
Preceded byIvan Meyer
Succeeded byAlbert Fritz
Leader of the Independent Democrats
In office
21 June 2003 – 21 May 2014
Preceded byParty founded
Succeeded byParty merged into
Democratic Alliance
Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament
In office
22 September 2010 – 31 May 2011
Provincial Leader of the Democratic Alliance
in the Western Cape
In office
18 April 2015 – 1 February 2017
DeputyBonginkosi Madikizela
Preceded byIvan Meyer
Succeeded byBonginkosi Madikizela
Personal details
Born
Patricia Lindt

(1951-02-17) 17 February 1951 (age 73)
Beaufort West, Cape Province, Union of South Africa
Political partyGood
(2018–present)
Other political
affiliations
Spouse
Edwin de Lille
(m. 1972; died 2021)
RelationsSarah Paulse (sister)
Children1
Occupation
  • Politician
  • legislator
  • trade unionist

  • anti-apartheid activist
ProfessionChemical technologist

Patricia de Lille (née Lindt; born 17 February 1951) is a South African politician who is the current Minister of Tourism and leader of the political party Good. She served as Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure from 2019 to 2023.

She was previously Mayor of Cape Town from 2011 to 2018 and before that, Western Cape Provincial Minister of Social Development from 2010 to 2011. She founded and led the Independent Democrats (ID), a political party which she formed in 2003 during a floor-crossing window, after she broke away from the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). In August 2010, the ID merged with the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's official opposition,[1] and the party was officially dissolved in 2014. From 2015 to 2017, she was Provincial Leader of the Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape.

De Lille was selected as the DA's mayoral candidate in Cape Town, defeating incumbent Dan Plato, ahead of the 2011 local government elections, where she was elected mayor. She was re-elected to a second term as mayor in the 2016 local government elections.[2]

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.[3]

On 8 May 2018, the DA's Federal Executive ceased De Lille's party membership, thereby removing her as mayor of the DA governed city.[4][5] The Western Cape High Court temporarily suspended her removal.[6] On 5 August 2018, De Lille announced her intention to resign as Mayor of Cape Town. She resigned as mayor and terminated her DA party membership on 31 October 2018.

Consequently, she formed Good in December 2018, and was announced as the party's Western Cape Premier candidate in February 2019.[7][8] She was elected to Parliament in May 2019 and took office as a Member on 22 May 2019. On 29 May 2019, De Lille was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa as Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure. In March 2023, she became the Minister of Tourism and was reappointed on 30 June 2024.[9]

  1. ^ Adams, Nathan (1 June 2011). "De Lille receives Cape Town mayoral chain". Eyewitness News. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
  2. ^ Brendan Boyle (20 May 2011). "Patricia de Lille next mayor of Cape Town". Times LIVE.
  3. ^ "The 10 Greatest South Africans of all time". www.bizcommunity.com. 27 September 2004. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Public reacts to #DeLille ousting". iol.com. Cape Argus. 8 May 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  5. ^ "DA did not follow proper procedure when removing #DeLille, court told".
  6. ^ Herman, Paul (15 May 2018). "Gloves off as DA declares De Lille's return 'ceremonial'". News24.
  7. ^ "De Lille is back for 'GOOD'". Archived from the original on 30 May 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  8. ^ De Lille is Good premier candidate in fight for Western Cape. Retrieved on 9 May 2019.
  9. ^ Africa, Contact us People's AssemblyTel:465 8885 Fax:465 8887 2nd Floor 9 Church Square Parliament Street Cape Town 8001 South. "Patricia de Lille". People's Assembly. {{cite web}}: |first1= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)