Mayor defies order to resign
Knysna official scorns DA directive, says he’s now seeking legal advice
NEWLY elected Knysna mayor Mark Willemse has defied the DA’s instruction to resign, but party bosses were today due to reveal how they are going to act against him.
Willemse said he had sought legal advice after DA Western Cape leader Bonginkosi Madikizela and provincial chairperson Anton Bredell instructed him to resign last Friday.
Willemse was elected last week after an ANC-sponsored motion of no confidence in former mayor Eleanore Bouw-Spies resulted in her being ousted from the mayorship.
Willemse and another councillor voted with the ANC, and minutes after Bouw-Spies was axed, a new mayor and deputy mayor were elected.
Madikizela last week described the actions of some DA councillors as a coup d’etat and lashed out at Willemse for taking over in such a manner.
Madikizela also had a problem with Willemse’s election as mayor, as he also serves as a speaker in the Eden District Municipality.
But Willemse said he had confirmed with Bredell that he would take the position as mayor, before the ousting of Bouw-Spies.
“I called MEC Bredell to speak about this matter. It was agreed that I will be the mayor. Now they came to me on Friday, and both requested that I resign from my position. I made it very clear that I will be seeking legal advice on their actions. I will not be resigning, I remain a disciplined member of the DA, but there was a no-confidence motion and we voted with our consciences,” he said.
Madikizela said a provincial executive committee meeting scheduled for yesterday would decide the next step.
“We have to find a way forward from this,” Madikizela said.
Willemse, however, said he was going to resign from his position as speaker in the Eden District Council.
“I will devote my time to Knysna and only to Knysna. There have been many cases of maladministration and problems in the municipality, and I cannot sit back and let that happen. The people support me and I want to work for the town,” he said.
If Willemse heeds the party’s call to step down, newly elected deputy mayor Willie van Aswegen of Cope will step in. Van Aswegen will serve as interim mayor until a new person is elected.
Asked about his relationship with Bouw-Spies, Van Aswegen said: “The former mayor is still there, and at the moment things are not good. But we have to move forward because we have to deliver services to our people.
“The relationship is obviously not good at the moment, but that’s it. Whatever the DA decide, we will cross that bridge when we get there.”
Last month, Bergrivier mayor Evert Manuel resigned before the council was to vote on whether he should be removed.
Matzikama mayor Rhenda Stephens also resigned, while George mayor Melvin Naik was removed after a string of allegations of corruption and maladministration were made against him.