Knysna service delivery challenges persist

KNYSNA - The Western Cape’s minister of local government, environmental affairs and development planning, Anton Bredell, has once again expressed his concern over Knysna Municipality’s deteriorating roads, water security, waste management and the effectiveness of years of provincial support.

Following recent engagements with the municipal council, Bredell said the Western Cape Government has provided extensive support and oversight to the municipality over several years in an effort to address the persistent governance, financial and infrastructure challenges.

Long history of intervention
According to Bredell, the province’s involvement predates the current Strengthened Section 154 Support Plan.

“Over an extended period, Knysna Municipality experienced persistent challenges relating to governance, financial management, infrastructure maintenance and service delivery,” he said.

These difficulties resulted in various interventions, including a constitutional intervention under Section 139 of the Constitution.

However, after the National Council of Provinces set aside the intervention, the Western Cape Government was directed to continue supporting Knysna through a strengthened Section 154 process.

Bredell stressed that while the Constitution requires the provincial government to support its municipalities, the responsibility for service delivery ultimately rests with local government and its elected council.

He revealed that the province had proposed assuming responsibility for certain water and sanitation functions through a stronger intervention. However, in February this year, the municipal council opted instead to retain those responsibilities while receiving intensified provincial support.

Water supply remains stable
The minister said water security remains a priority area, but indicated that there are currently no foreseeable risks to supply over the next five months.

“Knysna Municipality is pumping water from the Charlesford Pump Station to the balancing dam and the Greater Knysna Water Treatment Works.

Two of the three pumps are operational, while a third standby pump requires a replacement motor after previously procured equipment had proved incompatible.”

Efforts are under way to restore Akkerkloof Dam to full capacity before the peak summer season to provide greater resilience in the event of low rainfall.

Millions invested but progress remains slow
Bredell said the Western Cape Government has invested more than R15m over the 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years through interventions linked to the Strengthened Section 154 Support Plan.

Although progress has been achieved in some areas, he said instability within both the political and administrative leadership structures has slowed sustainable improvements.

He added that stable governance, accountability and effective oversight are essential if support measures are to translate into long-term service delivery gains.

Roads and waste remain major challenges
Water and sanitation, waste management, roads and stormwater infrastructure remain priority focus areas, supported by interventions in finance, supply chain management, legal services, human resources and infrastructure planning.

Bredell further explained: “In terms of waste management, the municipality is in the process of appointing a specialist to improve refuse collection and optimise waste transportation to the PetroSA regional landfill facility.

Road infrastructure, however, remains one of Knysna’s biggest challenges. While the municipality’s Pothole Plan is addressing immediate defects, that it is only a temporary measure.”

Large sections of the road network require substantial rehabilitation and reconstruction, and current estimates indicate that eliminating the backlog could take about 10 years, depending on available funding and implementation capacity.

Province committed to continued support
Bredell said the Western Cape Government would continue providing targeted support through the Strengthened Section 154 Support Plan, working alongside provincial and national departments and technical specialists.

He emphasised that the residents have every right to ask what support the province is providing, but should also expect accountability from the municipal council and administration. “The residents of Knysna deserve nothing less,” he said.

While reaffirming the province’s commitment to assisting the municipality, Bredell said lasting improvements would ultimately depend on strong governance, accountability and the municipality’s ability to prioritise the basic needs of residents.

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