Five Cape Town councillors who resigned in solidarity with former mayor Patricia de Lille said they were suing Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane for R1 million for defamation.
One of the councillors, Suzette Little, said Maimane had ignored a warning to retract a statement to the effect that they were implicated in the Bowmans report, which has been used as the basis for criminal charges against De Lille.
Little resigned on October 25 along with Shaun August, Siyabulela Mamkeli, Greg Barnardo and Thulani Stemele, leaving both the council and the DA.
Maimane made these statements in his weekly newsletter.
He was sent a lawyers letter demanding a retraction and apology since the former councillors were not mentioned in the report, nor were they implicated in the investigation.
Maimane then issued a replacement newsletter but did not retract his comments, in fact, in this letter he continued to accuse them of being part of some sort of cover-up.
The group has now sued Maimane and a summons have been served.
Maimane's office said they would respond to the summons in due course.
