Bredell faces political barrage

KNYSNA NEWS - The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will decide at a special sitting on Friday 26 September whether Western Cape Local Government MEC Anton Bredell’s recommendation to dissolve the Knysna Council will succeed.

The Select Committee on Co-operative Governance and Public Administration’s oversight visit to the town on Tuesday 23 September left no question that Bredell’s notice will be shot down.

During the presentations, there was a barrage of accusations - from Knysna Mayor Thando Matika, the rest of the ruling ANC coalition in Council and others - that Bredell’s move was politically motivated in favour of the DA.

Bredell denied this was a political ploy. He stated that it was a move to rectify a dysfunctional council that had failed the town on service delivery. He said the province was merely applying the law.

The opposition to Bredell’s recommendation was so intense that even AfriForum registered its opposition to the move.

Opposed
Those opposed to dissolution included Matika, the ANC Chief Whip Kay Andrews, the Knysna Independent Movement, while not part of the coalition but holding the speaker and MPAC chairmanship, Salga, the PA, PBI and EFF (all part of the ruling coalition), Imatu, Samwu, the Greater Knysna Business Council (GKBC), Knysna Infrastructure Group (Kig), Changes of Knysna, the Yona Yetu Initiative, the Landless Committee, AfriForum, the Knysna Infrastructure Group, the Garden Route Ratepayers’ Alliance, Sanco, the KhoiSan community and the Knysna Taxi Association.

In favour were the DA, Knysna United and the Active United Front.

Hatchet job
The Accountability Group (Tag), a public interest association group that held back on proceeding with legal action to place the Ccouncil under administration - and which wasn’t invited to the proceedings - said the hearings were a “political hatchet job orchestrated by a mayor who has lied blatantly about salaries, court outcomes, appointments, budgets and more, and the speaker.

“It is just so sad that the province, who supported Tag’s call for administration, got savagely attacked by most of the speakers, including AfriForum, Salga and various organisations we have never heard of. But the saddest part was the business forum and KIG not supporting the initiative. So we are doomed. And the attacks were personal and overtly politically motivated.”

Ethos
“The ethos of NCOP was displayed when they afforded the GKBC extra time as they had contributed bucks to the municipality,” said Tag in a social media post.

“The people must retain the government they deserve. Anton Bredell must have left shocked at the venom displayed, and we just feel sick. It is a sad day for our town. Cry, the beloved Knysna.”

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