KNYSNA NEWS - A motion to remove Cope councillor Ricky van Aswegen as deputy mayor was withdrawn, somewhat unexpectedly, by DA councillor Peter Myers during a special council meeting on Monday 18 March.
Myers had initially submitted the motion to have Van Aswegen removed as deputy mayor, stating Van Aswegen had performed unsatisfactorily in that position and that "Van Aswegen is not prepared to work constructively with the DA-led government in Knysna".
The motion was brought forward at Monday's meeting, which was attended by dozens of Cope supporters in a show of solidarity with Van Aswegen, but before council could consider the matter Myers stood up and withdrew the motion – resulting in no further discussion on the matter.
No reasons forthcoming
The decision to withdraw the motion came in the form of an instruction from the DA federal executive, who had apparently reached a deal with Van Aswegen to keep him in the deputy mayoral seat.
In a statement, the Knysna Ratepayers' Association also weighed in on the matter: "This represents yet one more instance of unwarranted interference in local political issues from on high.
"And it is far from clear that, come the elections, this flagrant exercise of fiat power won't backfire.
The DA councillors clearly believed that the removal of the uncooperative deputy mayor would have been in the town's interest," the KRA said.
'Provincial leadership not consulted'
When DA federal executive chair James Selfe was asked why the motion was withdrawn; what deal, if any, was reached with Van Aswegen; and to comment on the unanimous agreement between Knysna DA councillors that the motion be brought forward, his curt response was, "The federal executive deferred taking a decision on this matter because the provincial leadership had not been consulted."
Myers, who was approached for comment in this regard, stated that the federal executive gave no reasons for this decision.
"I cannot elaborate any further on what motivated them to do this. If I had thereafter still submitted the motion, then in terms of the provisions of the DA constitution I, as the mover of the motion (but no other DA councillors) would have been expelled from the party with immediate effect.
"So therefore let me be absolutely clear – I had no option but to withdraw the motion I had submitted."
Myers added that he doesn't understand the instruction to withdraw the motion and that it was "very strange" that the federal executive would not support the local DA councillors – who were on the ground and had insight into the matter.
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