Support for Knysna councillor
THE Knysna Ratepayers Association has thrown its weight behind embattled DA ward 10 councillor Peter Myers, saying the latest attempts to oust him will fall flat.
Myers appeared before an ethics committee on Wednesday facing charges of misconduct.
The axed Knysna deputy mayor is charged with falling foul of the municipality’s code of conduct after allegedly disclosing confidential admin-related information in October 2017.
The ratepayers’s chairperson Chris Gould said: “I saw the charge sheet and the entire matter is procedurally incorrect. Having lost on the political front, this is another attempt to get rid of him but this will fail as there is no evidence and they don’t even identify the complainant.”
Gould said he advocated for an open hearing as was done in April when Myers and mayor Mark Willemse faced a disciplinary hearing for voting in favour of a motion of no confidence in former mayor Eleanore Bouw-Spies.
Myers said the matter had been postponed for two weeks.
“I have nothing to hide and I welcome an open hearing as it serves in the interest of the citizens of Knysna. The charges against me are baseless,” he said. Knysna Speaker Georlene Wolmarans said: “The councillor has been charged with breach of items 2 and 10 of the Code of Conduct for Councillors. The councillor has not been suspended as the code of conduct does not make provision for suspension.
Disciplinary Chairperson Donovan Pofadder said they were not at liberty to disclose the name of the complainant.
“It must be noted that the Guideline adopted by Council for disciplinary hearings provides that this hearing will take place in camera.”