KNYSNA NEWS - After five years of governing Knysna as the ruling party, the DA say they made a commitment to responsible and accountable government, sensible financial management and sound economic and governance policies.
"On all of these issues we made substantial progress," said DA councillor Mark Willemse on Friday, June 10.
Campaigning to win the May 18, 2011 elections, Dr Dave Edge on behalf of the Knysna DA said in a paid newspaper advert that the Knysna DA have very clear priorities. If elected, they would:
• Root out corruption and nepotism.
• Stamp out excessive municipal spending and waste.
• Implement sound economic, financial management and good housekeeping.
• Provide the economically enabling environment for businesses to thrive and create jobs.
• Appoint people with the skills and experience to manage critical functions.
• Review all municipal job appointments made within six months of the election.
• Undertake a full review of the bloated municipal organisation chart and payroll.
• Undertake carefully considered and responsible investments in decaying bulk infrastructure, eg water and sewerage reticulation, roads and flood protection.
• Conduct an immediate economic and ecological review of the water crisis.
• Investigate the intermittent raw sewerage leakage into the Knysna Lagoon.
• Undertake a comprehensive and fair review of rates and taxes property valuation and billing systems with public consultation.
• Ensure fair provision of housing with an open, transparent allocation policy with assistance based on need and individual ability to help one’s self.
• Improve Knysna traffic policing to prevent serious traffic violations.
• Investigate sensible and economically viable alternatives to the proposed Knysna bypass.
• Improve provision of basic services: water, sanitation and roads.
• Improve education opportunities and facilities.
• Create an open-opportunity society for all citizens to be able to take advantage of the fruits of the new democratic South Africa.
He then asked the voters to give the DA a chance. "You have nothing to lose and everything to gain."
Five years later, Willemse, the spokesperson for the local DA, was asked to comment on these election promises and whether they had reached the goals they set for themselves.
"It must firstly be acknowledged that 2011 is a long five years ago and objectives and goals are constantly reassessed in the light of changing circumstances and realities on the ground. Having said this, the DA in Knysna is proud of its record in government, particularly when assessed against the promises we made in 2011, but the work is ongoing and much remains to be done.
"The promises we made in 2011 broadly fall into a number of main categories.
• "Firstly, we made a commitment to responsible and accountable government, sensible financial management and sound economic and governance policies. On all of these issues we made substantial progress – three clean audits in a row, tackling supply chain policies and management, and improving oversight of this important function, fairly adjusting our rates and service charges to ensure that the municipality can achieve the level of services Knysna’s resident’s rightly expect and so on.
• "Secondly, we made commitments to improve the provision of basic services. Since 2011 the DA-run municipality has increased the access to drinking water from 52% to 95% of the population, for sanitation from 74% to 85%, and 89% now have access to electricity. These achievements speak for themselves.
• "Thirdly, we promised to address the infrastructure problems and needs, particularly with regard to water scarcity. In addition to the reverse osmosis plant in Knysna, the DA has continued to invest in raw water infrastructure and is currently committed to construction of additional pipeline and pumping capacity from our main river sources.
All of these measures and others will move Knysna ever closer to achieving the desired level of water security. In addition, increasing investment and operational expenditure are being targeted at our existing roads, and at establishing and maintaining roads in all areas occupied by our different communities.
In conclusion, Willemse said, "There can be no doubt that the DA has governed the town effectively and broadly delivered on its main promises – however the work of government is never done and significant challenges await the new DA administration after the 2016 local elections.
"The DA remains the only political structure that is committed and able to govern Knysna in the interests of all of its people and communities. We are resolute in our aim of achieving an open-opportunity society based on the fundamental values of freedom, fairness and opportunity for all.
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