Thank you to the voters of Knysna Ward 5

Dr Dion George MP DA Knysna Constituency Head:

I am writing to thank the voters of ward 5 who elected the DA’s candidate, Hilton Stroebel, to Council in the by-election last week. I can assure you that he will serve all of the people of Ward 5, including those who preferred another candidate.

This election was particularly brutal given the toxic narrative that has been driven by some who have made vicious and unsubstantiated allegations against the former mayor and Ward 5 councillor Eleanore Bouw-Spies.

It was indeed on the basis of these allegations that councillors Willemse and Myers voted with the ANC to remove her and install Mr Willemse as mayor. These allegations were scrutinised by the DA’s Federal Legal Commission and found to be without substance. Charges pressed at SAPS have not resulted in any charges and the so-called De Swart report cannot withstand close scrutiny.

Despite these facts, the toxic lies continue to be peddled as truth. It was in this environment that the DA candidate won the election. A brilliant achievement under clouds of misinformation and fake news, including a fabricated hit-and-run incident so eagerly published on your website as truth before it was removed.

Knysna does need a new beginning, but a lurch to the ultra right wing under an antidevelopment “movement” isn’t it. And the voters of Knysna know that. What they don’t know is the truth about the malicious misinformation that they have been fed for far too long.

Yet politics can become a rather rocky road. Main point, though, for your party is that you made it through. Congratulations on your candidate’s win. – Eds. (Interested parties can read Peter Myers’ response to this letter in KPH online.)