Despite service delivery challenges, Knysna interest groups says they're not in favour of council being dissolved

Despite the myriad service delivery challenges in Knysna, the local business chamber, residents’ association and several civil society groups say they are not in favour of the council being dissolved.

They told Parliament’s select committee on cooperative governance at a fiery meeting held at the town on Tuesday that they backed the African National Congress (ANC)-led political leadership and the problems could not be solved within 90 days of administration.

Mayor Thando Matika accused local government MEC, Anton Bredell, of playing politics, and several civil groups agreed.

Civil society groups said the town’s problems can’t solely be laid at the door of the current political dispensation and have questioned the timing of Bredell wanting to dissolve the council.

Several interest groups say to dissolve the council would only result in many of the same councillors returning through a by-election90 days later, and won’t fix the persistent water and sewage problems.

Changes for Knysna’s Lynn Kayster said Bredell was abusing his authority, and the problems lie with the administration.

"The person behind the system is failing us. I’ve come to the conclusion that our municipal manager is either incompetent or ignorant and he needs to go."

The Greater Knysna Business Chamber’s Jan van der Westhuizen said Bredell should rather consider putting only certain financial or infrastructure functions under administration.

"Knysna is at a tipping point. Service delivery failures and aging infrastructure, the governance instability, the political division, have eroded public confidence."

The select committee said it would meet again on Friday to make a decision on whether to recommend the dissolution of the council.

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