The DA will undertake a process this week to get a replacement for Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille.

This follows the defiant mayor's announcement of her resignation from the party last week. The announcement followed a series of court battles, public spats and failed motions of no confidence against her.

De Lille's resignation will officially come into effect at the end of October, and in exchange, the DA has agreed to drop all disciplinary charges against her.

"The PEC [provincial executive committee] will deliberate today for a possible date to open nominations for a mayoral candidate, and then we will engage the federal executive, which is sitting this coming weekend.

"Once we agree on the date, we will allow people to forward their applications and the screening process will begin. Those who make it will be sent through to the selection panel," the DA's Western Cape leader, Bonginkosi Madikizela, said yesterday.

Sowetan understands that Western Cape premier Hellen Zille is being touted to replace De Lille after being approached by some within the DA caucus in the province.

However, Zille said she would prefer to finish her term as premier of the province.

Asked if the DA members were defying the party's constitution by approaching Zille before the start of the nomination process, Madikizela said there was nothing sinister about that move.

"We are a democratic party and there's nothing wrong with some members of the caucus who think Hellen might be the ideal candidate."

He added that if Zille were to take up the mayoral seat before finishing her term, the move would destabilise the government.

Federal executive chair James Selfe confirmed that finding De Lille's possible successor would be overseen by the committee.

"There's going to be a mayoral elective panel, and that will meet in due course," said Selfe.

He said the suitable candidate needs to be competent and understand how to handle complex political situations.

The federal executive meets every six weeks. It is the party's highest decision-making body outside of the federal congress, and will be the ultimate decider of who will replace De Lille.