Takeover talk took only 90 minutes

Update

KNYSNA NEWS – New Knysna Deputy Mayor Alberto Marbi, one of the kingmakers in the ANC-led coalition takeover of the Knysna Council, says the group (made up of the ANC, PBI, PA and EFF) had a 90-minute discussion before they reached their decision.

The move to oust the DA-led coalition from the council started three months ago. It followed a failed motion of no confidence in the DA-led council brought in June by the EFF, which had previously voted with the DA.

The no-confidence motions targeted then-mayor Levael Davis, deputy mayor Mark Willemse, speaker Julie Lopes and the council's whip, Hilton Stroebel.

The motions were seconded by the PBI, but were not entertained by the then speaker because of rules of order and she ruled that the motions would have to be resubmitted. "After we didn't succeed with the motion, we just kept quiet for three months, because of procedural issues," Marbi said.

Speaking informally to Knysna-Plett Herald at the Opening Cruise event at the Knysna Yacht Club on Saturday, Marbi revealed that the final meeting to bond the new council leadership took only 90 minutes.

Now mayor of Knysna, Aubrey Tsengwa, takes his oath as a councillor in November last year.

The councillors who make up the Knysna Municipality council. Photos: Blake Linder

Marbi, who comes from Rheenendal and leads the PBI (Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners) in Knysna, said the takeover was "not about politics, but service delivery". He said his experience was that communities like those in Rheenendal were left behind by the Knysna Municipality.

The event was his first official duty as deputy mayor. He attended the function with his wife, Shirley.

In the wake of the takeover, the Knysna Independent Movement (KIM) issued a press release sketching the lead-up to the new power shift. It said a "holistic view" should be taken of what has happened since 2 November 2021. The Local Government Elections saw the DA win eight seats, ANC seven, KIM two, PA two, EFF one and PBI one. The DA won the most seats but not an outright majority.

The Knysna Independent Movement (KIM) says the DA needs to stop the blame game and "pillorying voters for the DA's own tactical and strategic errors".

Reacting to the power change in the council, KIM says the DA's approach "is an insult" to voters' democratic rights.

"It also reveals a lack of introspection into why the DA has failed to maintain its voter base and why it has underperformed in elections, which can only be attributed to failure to deliver on election promises and, in some cases, poor selection of candidates." says KIM.

EFF councillor Neil Louw is sworn into office last year.

Recounting the effect of national politics on the make-up of the DA–led council in Knysna, of which KIM was a "loyal" member, but which was "always on shaky grounds", KIM says the DA is now laying the blame for the political upheaval in Knysna on people who vote for independents or smaller parties.

"Voters don't only vote for parties, but also for people whom they trust will serve their interests.

"To believe that every vote not given to the DA is a vote for the ANC is delusional at best and disingenuous at worst, because nationally there are a growing number of voters who will not vote for either the ANC or the DA but are instead looking for alternatives that best suit their needs," adds KIM.

DA Member of Parliament Dion George says Knysna now has an ANC government "because it was always a choice between the DA and the ANC and voters who did not choose the DA, got the ANC".

He says withdrawal of support for the DA coalition by the PA on instructions from its leader and KIM not voting for all DA candidates at the most recent council meeting "in violation of our coalition agreement", confirms that coalition governments rarely deliver "stable and capable governments".

The Knysna Municipality council chambers.