DA defeats ANC-PA attempt to unseat Knysna Government

01 June 2022

At a council meeting yesterday, the DA defeated motions of no confidence in Mayor Levael Davis and Speaker Julie Lopes together with council whip Hilton Stroebel and Deputy Mayor Mark Willemse.

Two of the motions were proposed by the Patriotic Alliance (PA) following their withdrawal from the governing coalition. The PA has therefore lost their mayoral committee seat as a result of their leader’s decision to withdraw from the coalition.

At the council meeting, Marlene Boyce was appointed as Acting Municipal Manager for one month. Although the DA voted in her favour, she was not the DA’s preferred candidate. At the meeting, the PA proposed a candidate from JB Marks municipality who would clearly not be in the best interests of the town, given his history in JB Marks and the charges he seems to be facing.

Knysna Independent Movement (KIM) advised the DA that they would abstain if the DA’s preferred competent candidate was proposed. In that event, the PAs candidate whom the ANC decided to endorse would have been appointed and there was no way in good conscience we could consider exposing the town to that risk.

The DA therefore supported the appointment of Ms Boyce for a period of one month as there was no other option for the town as KIM refused to consider any alternatives.

The DA remains committed to delivering the best possible service to the people of Knysna and will always act in the best interests of our town.

Statement issued by Dion George MP - DA Constituency Head, Knysna, 1 June 2022