(Picture:- Anton Bredell. Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning)
Knysna’s Executive Mayor Thando Matika has responded forthrightly to the notice issued late last week by Anton Bredell, which announced the Provincial Minister’s intention to place the Knysna Municipality under administration and dissolve the current council – which would then necessitate local elections in all wards.
On the Monday morning following the delivery of the minister’s letter to both the Mayor and Council Speaker Mark Willemse, Mayor Matika issued a statement which made it quite clear that he disagreed.
“This is a serious development that merits a clear, factual and balanced response indicating our significant efforts to address longstanding challenges. While the notice raises concerns, the measurable progress this municipality has made, particularly since Council adopted the Consolidated Executive Obligations Monitoring and Enforcement Framework (CEOMEF) in June 2024, is of vital public interest,” he said.
“Let me be clear,” the Mayor continues, “Knysna Municipality has not stood still. Since adopting the CEOMEF plan, we have taken decisive action to implement structural reforms and enhance service delivery. Over the past year, Knysna Municipality has methodically implemented the Section 154 Support Plan and made notable strides in governance, infrastructure and environmental compliance.”
(See full statement on www.edgenews.co.za)
To some, the stated intention of the Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning may well have come as a surprise.
On the surface it has appeared – in the last month at least – that the running of Knysna Municipality was under reasonable control. Knysna’s water emergency had indeed happened, but had been convincingly handled under the relatively new leadership of Municipal Manager Lulamile Mapholoba (though not without help of the private sector), many of the Municipality’s long vacant director and senior management positions had at last been filled, and the new Executive Mayor had even presented a funded budget last month, (though not without numerous objections to its content).
So where were Bredell’s “reasonable grounds to believe that the municipality cannot or is not fulfilling executive obligations”?
Last week, fresh signs that all may not be as well as Mayor Matika suggests began popping up. In a WhatsApp broadcast message posted by Knysna Infrastructure Group (KIG) – the organisation of private individuals and businesses formed in an emergency response to Knysna’s rapidly declining infrastructure.
“Reimbursement by the KM of the R399 000 paid by KIG for the water emergency has as yet not been made. We’re awaiting this recovery,” it read, “This has again been escalated, and will be continually. Legal action is becoming more of an option both from SNR and VandWater to resolve the impasse. After five days, the KM has still not advised as to what documents are required in order to facilitate payment. We have requested a meeting with both the Mayor and Municipal Manager and will report back once this has been concluded.”
The message goes on to inform readers that KIG has spent a further R16 750.00 for repair to the pump at the NSRI pump station, and that a total of 17 of Knysna’s critical pump stations did not have working pumps.
Bredell’s announced intention to dissolve the council and call for new local elections may have been seen as a step too far, until the odd situation which occurred last week arose. It involved the return to council of disgraced ex Mayor Aubrey Tsengwa, who was ousted from office in a vote of no confidence in early 2025 after being found guilty of lying under oath in court regarding his illegal appointment of political staff and other governance issues. The special investigation by the Western Cape Minister of Local Government recommended that he be removed as (Ward 8) councillor, but he resigned voluntarily before this happened.
Following this he was temporarily suspended from the ANC, with party leaders criticising his unilateral resignation, but then received back as a member in time to stand as their candidate for the same Ward 8 by-election which had come as a result of his resignation.
Last week, on 25 June, he won this election, and is now (once again) the duly elected ANC councillor of Ward 8. Whether the court’s decision to have him removed as a councillor for misconduct still stands remains to be seen. It is also unknown whether he intends to seek higher office in Knysna’s Council.
