The Knysna municipality is set to be placed under administration following a decision by the Western Cape government taken at a special cabinet meeting on Friday.
The provincial cabinet decided to dissolve the Knysna municipal council and appoint an administrator, who will assume all executive and legislative authority until a new municipal council is elected.
The appointment of an administrator under section 139(1)(c) of the constitution follows repeated governance and service delivery failures in the municipality, which have caused severe harm to residents, compromised basic services, and placed the environment at continued risk.
Local government MEC Anton Bredell’s spokesperson Wouter Kriel said the provincial leadership will, in accordance with section 139(3) of the constitution, notify the national minister of co-operative governance & traditional affairs and the National Council of Provinces.
Once the dissolution is confirmed, the municipal council must be reconstituted through fresh elections held within 90 days of the dissolution taking effect.
“Despite extensive support interventions, including a section 154 support plan and ongoing technical assistance, Knysna municipality has been unable to fulfil its executive obligations.
“Knysna municipality has for several years experienced chronic infrastructure breakdowns, ongoing sewage spillages and water supply disruptions, leaving communities vulnerable to health and safety risks,” Kriel said.
Western Cape premier Alan Winde said the decision was a last-ditch effort to recover the ailing municipality.
“But ultimately, we must act in the interest of the residents of Knysna,” Winde said.
“It is unacceptable that residents must endure this level of dysfunction.
“The situation has become untenable, and the impact on basic services has compelled us to take decisive action to stabilise the municipality, in line with the constitution.”
Bredell said the decision comes after sustained and escalating failures that have harmed residents and undermined service delivery.
The municipality’s failures are associated with and caused by systemic governance issues; the municipality neglecting its duty to effectively plan, implement, and monitor service delivery in alignment with legal, regulatory, and community expectations; council’s failure of a prioritised response; prolonged infrastructure neglect; budget allocation decisions; accountability failures in the municipality’s management of wastewater/sewerage, water provision, and solid waste management; municipal officials not being transparent in disclosing the extent of these problems; and the inadequate and deficient oversight over the implementation of the section 154 support plan and consolidated executive obligations’ monitoring and enforcement framework (“CEOMEF”) plan by the municipal council.
These issues have led to sewage spills, water shortages, and inconsistent solid waste management, severely affecting residents and the environment.
Bredell said despite various interventions and financial assistance, the municipality has not prioritised addressing its executive obligation failures.
“Our priority is to protect the rights and wellbeing of the people of Knysna, restore stability, and ensure the delivery of basic services.
“We are committed to working with all other stakeholders, including national government, the Garden Route district municipality and Knysna’s civil society to support recovery.
“We acknowledge the frustration and hardship that Knysna residents have endured and assure the community that restoring reliable, accountable, and sustainable governance is its top priority.
“Please work with us to rebuild this municipality, which was once the crown jewel in the Western Cape, to its former glory.”
The Herald
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