Knysna Mayor Georlene Wolmarans yesterday released the following press release.

At a special Council meeting held on Tuesday 5th July 2016, the Knysna Council considered allegations of serious misconduct made by a member of the public against Mr Grant Easton, the municipal manager.

The Council decided after taking into account the relevant legislative provisions to appoint an independent investigator to conduct an investigation into the allegations. In order not to prejudice the outcome of the investigation, the nature of the allegations against the municipal manager cannot be made public at this time.

The Council also decided that in order to protect the interests of all the parties involved, including the municipal manager, to ask the municipal manager to respond in writing within seven days as to why he should not be suspended for precautionary reasons while the investigation is on-going.

The Council wishes to make clear that the decision to investigate in no way pre-judges the issues involved and has been taken so that the allegations can be fairly tested and that the municipal manager be given every opportunity to answer the allegations.