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Last week, Patriotic Alliance (PA) Leader, Gayton McKenzie, announced that the two PA councillors in Knysna, both serving on the Mayoral Committee (Mayco) of the ANC/PA/PBI/EFF Coalition Government, would resign from the Mayco and would henceforth not vote at council meetings.

We are, however, not in the least surprised at McKenzie’s latest theatrics.

McKenzie’s reason for withdrawing from the ANC/PA/PBI/EFF coalition of corruption is, by his own account, his feeling “disrespected” by his coalition partners. He said and did exactly the same when he withdrew from the coalition with the DA. At that time, he had demanded the appointment of PA cadres in the Knysna administration, which the DA refused to permit. After he joined the ANC/PBI/EFF coalition, their first item of business was to illegally amend the administration organogram and illegally appoint PA, ANC and PBI cadres to the council. The Western Cape High Court subsequently interdicted the appointments after the DA approached the court.

At the local government elections in November 2021, the PA promised the residents of Knysna an alternative to the ANC government governing the town at that time. Instead, without consultation, they brought down the government that replaced the ANC after November 2021 and returned the ANC in a coalition of corruption with the PA, PBI and EFF.

Given that the PA cannot be trusted to offer stable government, and their signature on a coalition agreement is worthless, the DA will not attempt another coalition or other agreement with them. We will also not attempt a motion of no confidence in the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Speaker in an attempt to establish a minority government, even if the PA actually does not vote as it has threatened to do.

Knysna’s financial situation is dire. The town is commercially insolvent and grant funding has been utilised to pay for operational expenditure. The DA has requested urgent intervention by the Western Cape Provincial Treasury to prevent a further deterioration and to restore fiscal stability.

The current situation is untenable and no coalition iteration appears workable and to the benefit of the people of Knysna. The other options include placing the town under administration and/or holding another election to enable the voters of Knysna to decide a better way forward. Placing a council under administration can occur if a council fails to fulfil its obligations and the hurdle to clear is high. A new election will require council to dissolve itself after 2 years in office (i.e. after November 2023) with a 2/3rd majority.

Issued by Dr Dion George MP - DA Constituency Head, Knysna