On Monday 19 August the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Knysna tabled a motion to dissolve the Knysna Municipal Council. Should this receive a majority vote when it is brought to council, it will mean fresh local elections will be held in the municipality.

We are overjoyed that Knysna has been announced as the 2024 KFM Best Dorpie, clinching the title for the third year running. This incredible achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our community, visitors and KFM voters.

A heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you for your collective love and passion for our beautiful town. Our very real sense of community spirit is what makes us unique and brings us together. Knysna is only as special as it is because of its people. This win for Knysna is a victory for us all.

Congratulations to all our local finalists in their respective categories. You have represented Knysna with pride and excellence. Together, we continue to showcase the best of what our town and its people have to offer.

Our journey is guided by our core values – #inclusive, #innovative, #inspired. Let’s keep moving forward together as we celebrate Knysna, the 2024 KFM Best Dorpie Winner.

Picture: Members of the Petro SA running club from Mossel Bay traditionally turn out in big numbers to run the Tortoise Tuff. And as can be seen in this photo taken by Emma Rorke they thoroughly enjoy entering into the spirit of the day.

This Saturday will see Sedgefield’s streets bustling with hundreds upon hundreds of runners and race-walkers as Sedgefield Striders host the 25th edition of the Tortoise Tuff. Indeed local drivers, cyclists and pedestrians are being asked to give athletes (and even the not-so-athletic) right of way for just this one special day of the year.


This annual event has traditionally brought athletes and their families and friends bustling into Sedgefield from the Western and Eastern Cape and often further afield, to tackle one of the Tuff courses and experience the ever-popular Sedgefield community spirit.


The original Tortoise Tuff was a 30km event created just for race-walkers, with only twelve people embarking on the first journey. Since then it has grown into a must-do on the running calendar, being the perfect run to test readiness for the Two Oceans Ultra in Cape Town.


This year, as the race had to be postponed from its usual March slot, the race organisers opted to take the Tuff distance down to the popular half-marathon length of 21.1km. Setting off from the NG Church grounds on Swallow Drive, the course includes the flat roads of the Island and then more than a few steep hills and vales as it navigates the Cola Myoli circuit, before going over ‘Spook Hill’ (you will have to ask a runner to explain), through the village and back to the start. There is also a mostly flat 10km race and a 3km fun run.


Though the online entries closed on 5 August, one may still take out a late entry at the NG Church from 5-7pm on Friday 9 August where race registration will be taking place.


The 21.1km Run/Walk will start adjacent to the Church grounds at 07h00, whilst the 10km Run/Walk sets off at 07.15 and the Fun Run at 08h00. Please do come along to take part, or even offer the athletes a warm Sedgefield cheer!


The Striders Club’s grateful thanks go to the sponsors Sedgefield Pick n Pay, Engen/Wimpy and Igmi as well as all other businesses that have given support in any way.

In a time where smiles are few and far between, it was wonderful to see the happy faces at the Masithandane ‘Free on a Tree’ day, held on Saturday 25 May at the village green.


The concept is simple. The popular local charity has an annual collection of winter clothes – mostly jackets and jerseys – which are all donated by kind individuals and businesses in the area.
Then, as Free on a Tree day dawns, there is a flurry of activity on the green as the Masithandane team hangs everything up ‘boutique-style’.


Once this beautiful open-air store is ready, the day is declared officially open and anyone who wants something warm to wear may come along, browse for the best fit, and choose …. for free!


Such was the generosity this year that an estimated 23 black bags / boxes of jackets and jerseys were donated leading up to Saturday, then more dropped off on the day by the Sedgefield Meerkats and Cubs.


Over 100 people came along to ‘shop’, and though the rules were one item per person, a ‘second round’ was declared so people could take another item for someone at home. Many of the jackets were donated by Tony and Candice of SAMS 2nd Hand in Knysna, whilst many others were dropped off at the EDGE, Deo Gratia and Masithandane by churches and members of the public. There was also a fantastic donation of blankets from Sedgefield Lions, and some lovely knitted beanies from a generous lady.


Thank you everyone!

Picture by Deidré Cloete. Rescuers working tirelessly at the site of the Victoria Street building collapse.


This last week has been a roller coaster of emotion for many local residents, and indeed most of South Africa, as a result of the collapse of the multi-storey building in Victoria Street, George, resulting in the tragic loss of so many lives and serious injury to others on-site at the time.


At time of going to press (6pm Tuesday 14 May) the death toll had reached 33 (27 male and 6 female), with 19 people still not found.


With 81 souls in the building when it collapsed, many were trapped under layers of concrete rubble – it has been a race against the clock to retrieve those who managed to survive the collapse before they succumb to injuries, or indeed, lack of oxygen, food and water.


The tragedy, which has made international news, occurred on Monday, 6 May, at 14:09, with the initial emergency call being made within five minutes. At first, details were vague, with reports of a ‘collapse of scaffolding’ doing the rounds, but as emergency services arrived on the scene, the enormity of the situation became clear.


As construction of the ill-fated building was already more or less complete, the unfortunate souls working inside it when it collapsed were mostly teams of subcontractors – from painters to tilers to electricians.
Over the ensuing hours, multiple Disaster Service personnel, including medical services and Saps Search & Rescue teams, rushed to the scene. They were soon joined by emergency personnel from the City of Cape Town and Worcester Disaster Services and the Western Cape Provincial Disaster Services. Since then, approximately 200 emergency and other dedicated personnel, along with search and rescue dogs, have been tirelessly working at the site.


A Joint Operations Control Centre has been set up to deal with logistics, with Provincial Disaster Management personnel of the highest level sharing their expertise in directing operations.


Family and friends of victims rushed to the scene as they received news of the collapse. With the danger of further injury on site, they were directed to the nearby municipal buildings to wait for news. As hours turn to days, their ongoing plight can only be imagined. The Department of Social Services and Correctional Services Social Workers have been present to try to assist the families in dealing with their grief.


Volunteers poured in to offer help, working primarily on the perimeters of the site, keeping out of the way of danger, but providing invaluable assistance in the carting away of rubble, looking after the well-being of the rescue team and handing out vital refreshments, etc.


Meanwhile, the name of the developers of the building, Neo Victoria Developments, has been released. George Mayor Leon van Wyk confirmed that plans for the block of flats were submitted to the Municipality in December 2022 and approved in July 2023. The George Herald reported receiving a statement from the developers saying they are fully committed and supportive of the investigations envisaged by the premier of the Western Cape Province to determine the cause of the tragedy and undertake to cooperate fully with all authorities.


“We mourn the loss of life, the injuries suffered, and the bereavement of the loved ones and families affected. We are deeply moved by the actions of the rescue teams and authorities.” the letter stated.


Work on the scene was exceptionally difficult. Time was of the essence, but dangers of further collapse were always at the forefront, so the use of heavy machinery on the concrete slabs and piles of rubble had to be limited. By the end of day three, rescue workers had retrieved 37 victims, eight of whom were deceased.


On day four (Friday), a very tough decision had to be made. The JOC announced that the multi-agency rescue squad would begin using demolition equipment to lift the concrete slabs that were obstructing access to the lower floors of the building site.


“The meticulous and skilled rescue response to date, which has allowed for the recovery of 40 of the 81 trapped workers, has had to proceed carefully to avoid further collapse and injury.” they said in a statement, “The stability of the site is a threat to the safety of emergency personnel who have focused their efforts for the past 96 hours on rescuing as many trapped patients as possible. The decision to switch to using heavy-duty demolition equipment is not taken lightly. The demolition company has created a safe path to drive on over the site, filling in voids that have been thoroughly checked for any entrapped victims. Rescue techniques continue to be applied meticulously and sensitively at each phase.”


On Saturday, the sombre mood of the exhausted crew turned to delight when, after they had surely all but given up hope, a noise was heard deep under the rubble. Contact was made with a living survivor, and whoops of joy echoed around the site, and indeed the country, when Gabriel Gumba was eventually brought to the surface, having been trapped for 118 hours without food and water. Amazingly, he had only suffered minor injuries.


The search operation continued and indeed will continue until the last victim is retrieved.


Whilst investigations into the cause of the building’s tragic implosion are already underway, the main emphasis to date has understandably been on rescue and recovery operations.


Our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones during this tragedy, and a massive vote of thanks to emergency personnel and volunteers who have kept going for so long, giving their all in an extremely challenging rescue operation that must surely be heart-wrenching.

On the morning of Madiba Day, Thursday, 18 June 2019, Angeline ‘Anna’ Armoed wept. But at the time, these were tears of joy because the widowed grandmother had just received the best gift ever – the promise of a new house! After being on the waiting list for over twenty years, she and her family were to be given their very own home, compliments of Knysna Municipality and a private donor.
Now, five years later, her joy has long turned to misery – because this new house has never materialised. The promise, made official by a ‘Pledge of Commitment’ certificate presented to Mrs Armoed (with speeches, cheers and much pomp and ceremony) by municipal dignitaries wearing the ceremonial hard-hats for the ground-breaking ceremony, is yet to become a reality.
Nothing has been done.
On that Madiba Day The EDGE Community Newspaper and other media were there to record the moment, because an impoverished widow receiving a new 42-square-metre home would make a perfect uplifting story for the front page.
To date, that same piece of ground remains ‘unbroken’, and Mrs Armoed, now 61, is still living elsewhere. Her current home is a dilapidated two-roomed backyard shack, which she shares with six other occupants. To add insult to injury, this structure was badly flooded during the recent heavy rains.
In 2019, Annie Brinkhuis, who held the Human Settlements portfolio on the local Ward Committee, reported that Mrs Armoed had been a ‘backyard dweller’ since her husband died in 2002. She and her children had battled to make ends meet since then.
“Angeline was actually on the list to receive one of the first RDP houses in the late nineties,” Annie had told us, “But somehow her name got shifted off the list, and she lost out.”
Also in 2019, a spokesperson for Knysna Municipality reported that the family’s vulnerability had made them an ideal recipient of the housing opportunity ‘because the household was exposed to extreme poverty.’
However, it seems their extreme poverty was no longer an issue for the dignitaries or the municipality once the photo opportunity had been taken. Mrs Armoed and her family were left with nothing but the printed pledge, congratulating them on being the recipients of, as it turned out, a non-existent home.
When the rains of two weeks ago flooded her home, the widow’s continued plight caught the attention of Fregen Galant, a Smutsville Informal Settlement Forum member, who decided that it was time to push the matter again. He and Mrs Armoed went to the municipality, taking along the Pledge of Commitment (she has had it laminated for longevity!). They managed to speak to MMC (Member Mayoral Committee) for Infrastructure, Councillor Beauty Charlie.
Perhaps not being able to believe what she was hearing, the councillor contacted some of the ‘dignitaries’ who had been involved in the original handover. They confirmed (with at least some embarrassment, it is hoped) that Mrs Armoed’s tragic tale was indeed true.
According to Galant, the councillor then called the Manager of Integrated Human Settlements, Lindile Petuna, to ask what could be done. He suggested a ‘kit’ Wendy house could be set up for Mrs Armoed in the new informal area known as Lank Gewag, where her oldest son Randall currently lives.
“Mr Petuna made it sound like it was an easy thing for the Municipality to do,” he said, “And he also told us that once Anna is set up there, she could be connected up with electricity, as the Lank Gewag settlement has been electrified.”
But when we met with him over a week later, a frustrated Galant said nothing had happened yet, except for a lot more rain and flooding of Mrs Armoed’s home. Whilst he spoke to us, a very resigned and hopeless Mrs Armoed looked on in silence. Galant said they had contacted Beauty Charlie’s offices once again, but whilst the councillor took their calls, she could not provide any news for them as she had not been able to get hold of Petuna since the first meeting.
Contacted for comment, a Municipal Spokesperson said “It is correct that Mrs Armoed possesses a letter signed by a former Municipal Manager and Mayor, indicating a commitment to construct a house contingent upon sponsorship. However, the sponsorship has since been rescinded, placing the responsibility of construction on the Municipality.
“The construction of the house has been integrated into the annual rectification program, scheduled for realisation in the upcoming financial year commencing in July 2024.
“Regarding the request for materials made by community members, it’s important to note that current policy restricts the allocation of materials, and any implementation is subject to the availability of resources and requisite approvals.”
This newspaper looks forward to printing pictures of Mrs Armoed and her family in their new (albeit temporary) kit home, but no one is holding their breath.