Whether or not Knysna is placed ‘under administration’ and the current council dissolved is now hanging in the balance after the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration (Traditional Affairs, Human Settlements and Water and Sanitation) met in Knysna yesterday, Tuesday 23 September to consider submissions on the matter. The final decision will be […]
After its first week of running, it was already evident that this year’s ‘My African Dream’ Melodrama was going to be something special. Ticket sales soared, and bids at the ‘American Auction’ for encores at the end of each night’s performance seemed to explode.
Last night – Tuesday 26 August – saw the opening performance of the MELODRAMA – Sedgefield’s biggest annual charity fundraiser. Judging by the reaction of the audience – the production team have taken the show to even higher levels. The African Dream theme for this year’s offering is a spark of genius – most of […]
“I have been through a lot in my life, and never been scared. But on Monday 11 August I was absolutely terrified!” These were the words of 47 year old Hannes Hangenmann, the Sedgefielder who was robbed by men brandishing firearms.When we chatted with him the following day, he had recovered enough to smile, and […]
(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.
Sedgefield’s Pick n Pay Eagle Stars are currently ranked No 1 in the First Division of the SWD President’s Rugby League, this after a long winning streak, including back to back victories over the last two weekends. On 7 June the local team had a huge challenge on their hands. Playing an away match against […]
Locals and visitors are being encouraged to sign an online petition https://chng.it/WxnhhHrbcD aimed at persuading SANRAL to make the N2 and intersecting roads in and around Sedgefield. This after the horrific accident which took place on the N2 just outside Sedgefield on Monday, 26 May, leaving 11-year-old local Emma-Grace Snyman in a critical condition, with a long journey ahead for her recovery.
The accident happened on the western side of town, just past the Engen Garage at the turn-off towards ‘Montmere’ (the road that leads to Outward Bound at the back end of Cloud 9). Emma and two school friends were passengers in a Daihatsu Sirion on their way to horse-riding. They were waiting to turn right off the highway onto the rural road.
Visibility was low due to the wet weather, and a bakkie overtaking a large truck (which was driving in the yellow lane) ploughed into the back of the Daihatsu, pushing them into a stream of oncoming traffic. Several vehicles were involved in the dreadful carnage that resulted within split seconds, but it seems only Emma sustained serious injuries after being flung from the car.
Emergency services were deployed to the scene, and Emma was initially taken to a hospital in George before being flown to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town.
She remains there over a week later, with her shell-shocked mother, Vanessa, staying as close as she can to her hospital bedside. The medical team is attending to her around the clock, meeting regularly to ascertain the best proactive and reactive treatment necessary and plan the way forward for the young girl. Yesterday (Tuesday, 3 June), Emma’s father, Johnny, reported that whilst Emma had woken up and no longer needed a ventilator to breathe, she had not been responsive to the doctors.
“She is in a neck brace as her second vertebrae is displaced, and she will need plastic surgery as well as work on her broken jaw,” the distraught man told us, “Her medical report mentioned ‘A prolonged stay,’ so we know this is going to be a long and life-changing haul for all of us.”
Back in Sedgefield, with so many family members and friends desperate to do what they could to help, it was no surprise that two fundraising platforms were started simultaneously. The support has been phenomenal, with close to R400 000 raised to support Emma and her family in the days ahead.
“We are so grateful for all the support,” says Johnny, “Whilst we remain fully focussed on Emma’s short-term recovery at the moment, we also have to think of the long-term.”
He explained that whilst the Red Cross Hospital treatment is not charged for, all funds raised will be channelled towards long-term care and therapy, which Emma will no doubt need on the road to recovery.
As a result of this terrible accident, a number of residents have come together to create a petition with the aim of making this intersection safer.
The petition will inform the road authority of things that urgently need attention/correction:-
• There is currently no dedicated lane for the Montmere turn-off.
• Leading up to the turn-off, the N2 centre line is dotted, which means it is deemed ‘safe to overtake’, which it clearly isn’t.
• The speed limit is not evident along that stretch, causing drivers to feel they may speed up as they ‘leave town’.
• The road signs for the turn-off disappeared some years ago when the road was being repaired. They have not been replaced.
• Signage pointing out that overtaking is prohibited and that a double lane section (for overtaking) is up ahead (up the hill towards the Pine Lake turn-off).
Johnny Snyman has asked that as many people as possible join the efforts to make this intersection safer. This, he hopes, might just prevent another family from suffering the same trauma.