Picture: ANC Mayor Aubrey Tsengwa still gets to wear the chain of office. Source:- Knysna.gov.za
There was a buzz of excitement about Knysna’s 10 December Ordinary Council Meeting, especially when three Votes of No Confidence appeared on the agenda. It seemed that two members of the ruling ANC, PA, PBI, EFF coalition – Deputy Mayor Alberto Marbi (PBI) and Councillor Neil Louw (EFF) – were turning their backs on the ANC by proposing the removal from office of Mayor Aubrey Tsengwa, Council Speaker Mcedisi Skosana and Council Whip Mboneli Khumelwana (all on the ANC ticket).
But it appears that only the onlookers felt that this might be a sign of change in council leadership, as none of the opposition politicians seemed to believe the motions would make it to the vote.
Indeed the three motions were the last to be considered on the 366 page agenda, and when the time came the two renegade councillors announced their withdrawal. Acceptance of this withdrawal was put to the vote and was carried by 11 votes for, none against and ten abstentions.
In explanation, the DA Constituency Head Ryan Smith said in a press release issued two hours later, “The DA abstained on the vote as we refuse to be drawn into the petty power play between the ANC/EFF/PA/PBI coalition partners, which threatened to further destabilise the Knysna Municipality and hurl the executive into chaos. The coalition of corruption’s political merry-go-round places petty political interests above those of the people of Knysna.”
