Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille says she will take legal action against the DA if she is removed as mayor, eNCA reported on Monday.
De Lille was suspended by the DA last week after being put on special leave in September. She was given until Monday to give reasons why she should not be suspended.
A committee put together by the DA reportedly found "sufficient management and governance-related challenges prevalent in the DA's City of Cape Town caucus, negatively impacting the city's mandate to govern efficiently for the people of Cape Town," News24 reported.
Issues at play include conflict in the council following De Lille's decision to close down its special investigating unit and upgrades to her home.
De Lille reportedly believes the process has been unfair and is compiling her submission for the party's Federal Executive.
"The DA has shared [its] reasons for my suspension. I am of the view that they do not warrant my suspension nor my removal. I have made no secret of the fact that I will consider legal action if the DA decides to remove me from my position as the mayor of Cape Town.
"Leading a team, we worked extremely hard to elevate the administration to its current position of being the best run in South Africa. The people of Cape Town further validated the work that we have done with a two-thirds majority in the 2016 local government elections.
"I still believe that the DA is the best alternative in the country and we have proved this in the City of Cape Town. I am of the view that the 'process' that has been followed has been patently unfair towards me. My legal team will convey this to the FedEx, as they have done repeatedly during the last few months.
"For the moment, I am focused on compiling detailed submissions to FedEx regarding the allegations concerning me raised in the so-called Steenhuisen report. For now, the thrust of my response is to deal with the merits of the allegations in the report as comprehensively as possible in the time afforded to me.
"I remain hopeful that we will be able to dissuade FedEx from taking the drastic step of initiating a motion of no confidence in me. But if we cannot do so, I would naturally have to consider alternatives to defend my reputation of a lifetime of fighting against corruption and addressing inequality in our society," De Lille said.