PA pulls out of Knysna coalition

KNYSNA NEWS - Knysna Mayor Thando Matika is in the sights of one of his coalition partners, the Patriotic Alliance (PA).

PA Councillor Waleed Grootboom handed in a motion of no confidence in Matika on 30 July requesting his recall and removal from office, as part of the PA's new long-term strategy at national level.

The motion is scheduled to be tabled during a council meeting today, 7 August.
Grootboom stressed that the motion was not brought on the basis of misconduct or failure of duty, but as part of a broader strategic directive issued by the PA at national level.

He said Matika has served as mayor with integrity and diligence. "We acknowledge and appreciate his commitment to the residents of Knysna and the stability he has brought to the municipality."

The PA has abstained from voting with the ANC coalition (consisting of the ANC, EFF, PBI and PA) in recent council resolutions that relate to Western Cape Local Government MEC Anton Bredell's intention to intervene in Knysna.

Revealing
PA secretary general Chinelle Stevens said Grootboom's actions were in line with the party decision to exit all Western Cape local government coalitions.

"The outcome of the motion of no confidence will be extremely revealing about the status of the latest trend for the DA and ANC to form 'unincorporated coalitions' in Western Cape municipalities," said Stevens.

"The DA has long held this position of convincing voters that they won't 'form coalitions' with the ANC but then forming a weird 'unincorporated coalition', which then they deny as being a 'coalition'."

Political games
DA Knysna constituency head Ryan Smith said the PA had its opportunity to govern with the DA, "but tried to use the DA to capture the municipality and facilitate corruption".

"When the DA refused, they went to the ANC and the result is the major decline in Knysna's infrastructure - which is why our communities go without water for days and weeks at a time.

"Politics should be about delivery and not political games, and certainly not state capture. The PA made their bed, and the DA will not get into any arrangement with the people who destroyed Knysna - including all parties in the ANC-led coalition."

DA Knysna constituency head Ryan Smith.