Former Cape Winelands District Municipality mayor and infamous Cape Town politician Badih Chaaban has died, his daughter said on Monday.

In a Facebook post, Lee Chaaban said her heart was “shattered in pieces” by her father’s death.

“You taught me what bravery is every single day and inspired me to live life to its very fullest which you definitely did,” Lee said.

“You taught me grace and inspired me whilst you fought the biggest battle and I will take that with me forever – you begged with me to celebrate your life and not mourn too long when you gone (sic).”

During his time as a councillor in the Cape Town city council for the Africa Muslim Party (AMP) in 2007, Chaaban was accused of placing then Mayor Helen Zille under surveillance and orchestrating defections from the DA through alleged illegal means.

He was later disciplined by the AMP before starting the New People’s Party (NNP) later that year.

Chaaban had repeatedly been questioned for his alleged dealings with underworld figures, but told IOL that he would never apologise for associating with them.

He owed the City of Cape Town R3.3m on a lease he held for 83% of Greenmarket Square. The lease was cancelled in 2007 when allegations of mismanagement and racketeering emerged.

In 2009, the Mail and Guardian reported that he was fined R5 000 for assaulting a former NNP organiser with a coffee cup.

He left politics in 2015 when he resigned as a councillor in the Witzenberg municipality.

At the time he promised to release proof of corruption in the DA and ANC and lay charges against specific party members.