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'No blue lights. I'm staying away from blue,' says Patricia de Lille

SA's new public works minister, former Cape Town mayor and GOOD party leader Patricia de Lille.
SA's new public works minister, former Cape Town mayor and GOOD party leader Patricia de Lille.
Image: Patricia de Lille/Twitter

GOOD leader Patricia de Lille said on Thursday, with a chuckle, that there would be no blue-light brigades whisking her around as the country's new minister of public works and infrastructure.

"No, no. No blue lights. I'm staying away, far away from anything that's blue," she told Power FM.

It was the tail end of a conversation that touched on her estranged relationship with the DA, under which she served as mayor of Cape Town. That relationship ended in a very public "divorce" that saw her form a new political party, fight an election campaign and land a cabinet post.

Asked if she felt her appointment was merely a strategy by the ruling party to deal with the DA, De Lille said: "No man, I think we must forget about the DA. They've got enough problems amongst themselves in the different factions and they must sort it themselves. What we need in our country is to rise above our political differences and we need to serve when we are called upon to do so.

"I'm really not bothered about what the DA is saying or thinking".

De Lille said she would hit the ground "sprinting", not running, in her new job.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane reacted to De Lille's appointment to the executive on Tuesday night by telling broadcaster eNCA: "Patricia de Lille is now part of the ANC's infrastructure.

"She now serves in the same cabinet as the team there and we have to hold her accountable, the same as we would any other member."

De Lille said after her new position was announced, in a series of tweets: "I pledge to continue the struggle for dignity & fairness for all South Africans ….

"I will continue to lead GOOD, and to fight for a responsible, accountable and compassionate government. On President (Cyril) Ramaphosa's election to the presidency last week I pledged GOOD's constructive support for turning SA around.

"This support we will wholeheartedly give, but I will be joining President Ramaphosa's executive with open eyes and ears as a representative of good South Africans of integrity who love their country and demand better of their leaders."

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