The band is back together
The PA has returned to the ANC-led alliance in Knysna only a week after PA national leader Gayton McKenzie ordered two councillors to resign from the alliance over the appointment of four allegedly unqualified directors, instructing them to no longer vote with the alliance.
The PA's about-turn was highlighted at a council meeting on Friday 15 September when the two PA councillors voted against a Knysna Independent Movement (Kim) motion calling for setting aside the appointments of the "same" Knysna directors that had purportedly led to their dramatic withdrawal from the Knysna ruling coalition", according to a Kim statement.
In another development, Johannes Jonkers, a former acting municipal manager who resigned abruptly a year ago, was appointed Acting Director of Infrastructure at Friday's meeting.
McKenzie hailed Jonkers' appointment as a "victory" for the PA in a Facebook post this week in which he unpacked the developments of the past week. "Having a coloured person employed, this is a victory for the PA," said McKenzie. Jonkers resigned in October last year after he did not sign the appointments of eight political appointees in the offices of the then newly elected alliance of the ANC, PBI, PA and EFF.
In a letter sent to PA deployee Michele Botha, Jonkers said he had sought legal opinion in the matter and that the appointments were deemed illegal.
Knysna Municipal Manager Ombali Sebola confirmed that Jonkers' new appointment will begin from 1 October "for a period of three months or until the position is filled".
Comment on coalition
McKenzie defended the vote for the ANC-led alliance at Friday's meeting, saying the PA and ANC had sorted out their differences.
He congratulated what he called the "new leadership" of the ANC. "They said, 'Let's sit down, we made a mistake. Let's sort it out.' That for me is leadership, not this arrogance of the DA," said McKenzie in his social media statement.
ANC provincial spokesperson Khalid Sayed said the ANC has not made and will not make any appointments to appease anyone. "As stated previously, our emphasis is on the matter of proper qualifications which we feel is now being adequately resolved. There was a never a breakdown in relations between ourselves and the PA, but certain issues which have been resolved in the interests of a stable coalition which is able to best serve the needs of the people of Knysna. We look forward to strengthen cooperation towards greater service delivery," said Sayed.
'Feigned outrage'
Kim said the PA voted with their previous coalition partners to "seal the deal" on two of the directors. "We were not surprised, as we did not buy the feigned ignorance and outrage of the PA leader. He was caught out. His lack of commitment to employ coloured people to positions that matter, was exposed," said Kim in a statement.
"Hours after our post [about the four newly appointed directors], a WhatsApp message about the exclusion of coloured candidates went viral and the next day Gayton McKenzie, the leader of the Patriotic Alliance,
McKenzie defended the vote for the ANC-led alliance at Friday’s meeting, saying the PA and ANC had sorted out their differences.
purportedly outraged at the exclusion of coloured candidates, claimed ignorance, blamed the ANC, and dramatically announced that his party was withdrawing from the coalition and that his councillors had been instructed to resign their mayoral committee positions and not vote in council".
Council members Susan Campbell and Mark Willemse, delivered four motions of exigency at Friday's meeting to rescind the "illegal" appointments of the four directors. "Before our motions could be debated, we needed the support of the majority of councillors. The DA supported our motion and with the vote of the PA, we would have succeeded in our motion and the appointments would have been set aside," said a Kim statement.
"We were not surprised when the Patriotic Alliance councillors voted with the ANC, PBI, and EFF against our motion, as we did not fall for Gayton's feigned outrage. The
PA was not going to give up on the deals, or whatever concessions they may have extracted from the ANC, in exchange for their vote for the appointments."
'Untrustworthy'
Dr Dion George, DA Knysna Constituency Head, said the PA has "yet again" contradicted itself and proven itself untrustworthy.
"Its signature on a coalition agreement means nothing and the DA will never return to coalition with them or agreements with them," said George. He said the DA has requested that the provincial treasury should intervene in an attempt to resolve the financial crisis in Knysna.
"The town is commercially insolvent and has utilised grant funding to pay operational expenses. The DA will not table a motion of no confidence in the mayor, speaker and deputy mayor, and the intervention of the provincial treasury must run its course," said George.