Waghied Misbach

Waghied Misbach

Tensions are rising between DA leader and Cape Town mayor Helen Zille and Independent Democrats (ID) leader Patricia de Lille after it emerged that Zille and her colleagues have allegedly been "hounding" an ID member to defect in the fragile Cape Town metro.

Zille and De Lille are in a coalition government along with a number of other smaller parties. The ID has already lost one councillor to the DA.

On the second day of the controversial floor-crossing period, the ID's metro councillor, Jameelah Daniels, yesterday told journalists she had not crossed the floor as has been reported elsewhere. She confirmed she had been approached by DA councillor Dan Plato and Zille to defect.

Plato told Sowetan he had "no comment to make", while Zille could not be reached for comment.

DA federal chairman James Selfe, who has been appointed spokesman for the floor-crossing period, could not comment for Zille, but said politicians are entitled to cross the floor.