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- The DA coalition government in the Knysna municipality has collapsed after motions of no confidence were brought against the leadership.
- Power in the municipality returned to the ANC, which will now govern with the EFF and Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners.
- The PA brought the motions because of a lack of confidence in the DA-led local government.
The DA in the Knysna Municipality has been booted out of power after the Patriotic Alliance (PA) managed to oust the current leadership on Wednesday.
The PA successfully brought several motions of no confidence against the mayor, deputy mayor, speaker and the chief whip during a special council meeting.
The motion of no confidence was brought by the PA after a public fallout between the two parties after PA leader Gayton McKenzie instructed his councillors to resign from their posts and effectively withdraw from the coalition between the DA and PA.
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The motions were submitted because of a lack of confidence in the government of DA and the Knysna Independent Movement.Power in the municipality returned to the ANC, which will now lead with the EFF and Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners (PBI).
The new council is made up of:
Executive mayor – Aubrey Tsengwa (ANC)
Deputy mayor – Alberto Marbi (PBI)
Speaker – Mncedisi Skosana (ANC)
Chief whip – Mboneli Khumelwana (ANC)
The Knysna Municipality said in a statement: “African National Congress (ANC) councillor Aubrey Tsengwa has been elected as Knysna’s new executive mayor. Council at its special meeting of today considered a number of motions, one which included a motion of no confidence in the previous mayor, Cllr Levael Davis of the Democratic Alliance (DA).”
Tsengwa said during his address to the council he was honoured and humbled to accept the position. “The greater Knysna area has lost too much over these past nine months. This shift should have been done long ago. The new leadership is ready to drive Knysna in the right direction,” he said.
PBI Leader Vergil Gericke said change had come to Knysna and all its people.
“This change is long overdue, as the eyes of those who have voted for change and transformation expect political parties to deliver on their promises. The face of Knysna will be changed forever by this coalition. It cannot be normal that people must beg for services. This coalition government must restore the dignity of the people of Knysna and fix the broken system,” he said.
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However, the DA’s Knysna constituency head Dion George said the motions of no confidence passed in council had nothing to do with service delivery and everything to do with “narrow self-interest”.
“A coalition of corruption has been cobbled together to loot and steal whatever might be left after the previous ANC government looted our town. These motions served clearly demonstrate that a vote for any party other than the DA is a vote for the ANC. Anyone who did not vote DA effectively voted ANC,” he said.
During the municipal elections in November last year, the DA won the most seats but not a majority. Since then, it has governed in coalition with the Knysna Independent Movement.
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