DA deaf to Knysna mayor’s pleas
INCUMBENT Knysna Mayor Mark Willemse says he was not afforded an opportunity by the DA leadership to state why he was the best candidate to lead the Eden District town before being given an ultimatum to step down.
Willemse was elected by the the town’s council last week after a motion of no confidence, which he had voted in favour of, against his predecessor Eleanore Bouw-Spies.
The motion tabled by the ANC against Bouw-Spies had cited her failure to perform her duties and ensure service delivery in the greater Knysna area, and effective functioning of the council.
This prompted the the DA’s Western Cape leader, Bonginkosi Madikizela, and provincial chairperson Anton Bredell to visit the Eden District at the weekend and address the party’s Knysna caucus.
The DA leadership had given Willemse until Saturday morning to step down, which he had defied.
Willemse spoke to the Cape Times and said that since informing the party leadership on Saturday of his intention to remain as mayor, he had not heard anything from them.
“I was not afforded an opportunity to express why I felt I am best suited to lead Knysna, but basically given an ultimatum to step down by the provincial leader Madikizela.
“This is unprecedented that the opposition has supported a DA mayor, they did not have confidence in the previous mayor and had put their faith in the DA as to how Knysna was going to be run,” he said.
Willemse said he had tendered his resignation as speaker of the Eden District Municipality, which his party cited as one of the main problems.
He said the Knysna municipality had a huge challenge addressing the allegations of maladministration and corruption but felt up to the task of holding the administration accountable in the best interests of the citizens.
Willemse and fellow DA councillor Peter Myers had voted in favour of the motion of no confidence in the former mayor along with the ANC and opposition parties – a move Madikezela had described as a “coup”.
He accused the two councillors of collusion and said voting with “your conscience was questionable if you were the direct beneficiary”.
DA East Region head Jaco Londt would not comment on the matter and said any questions on the leadership’s decision must be directed to Madikizela.
Madikizela and Bredell were involved in a provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting and could not be reached for comment by deadline yesterday.
DA Western Cape spokesperson on Local Government Masizole Mnqasela said:
“The party’s leadership had given the current Knysna mayor an opportunity to submit his reason to remain in the position following legal consultation. Nonetheless, he must go as due process was not followed,” he said.
Mnqasela said the PEC would also make its decision on the George mayor Melvin Naik, whose DA membership had been ended.