National Council of Provinces uses its veto powers to prevent the Western Cape Provincial Government from saving Knysna
“The National Council of Provinces, through its members, made the political decision to prevent the Western Cape Provincial Government from saving Knysna from the foreseeable complete breakdown of service delivery. It is unfortunate that this decision was clearly made for political reasons as opposed to having been made based on all the evidence of the Municipality’s dysfunction,” Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning said.
“The decision of the NCOP has effectively put the Municipal Council back in charge of its own recovery and implementing support measures offered by the National and Provincial Government. Council’s track record has shown that it is unable to correct its self-inflicted governance failures, which is causing raw sewage to flow into streets, homes, and nearby waterways and the Knysna estuary, posing severe health and environmental risks.”
The dissolution of the Municipal Council and vesting temporary authority in an impartial Administrator, would have enabled the swift implementation of recovery strategies unhindered by entrenched political interests, mismanagement, political interference and lack of oversight by the Council that has perpetuated the Municipality’s decline, Minister Bredell said.
The Provincial Government will now not be able to utilise additional funding and resources that would have been permitted through a s139 Provincial Intervention to stabilize immediate operations and lay the groundwork for long-term governance improvements thereby enabling a comprehensive turnaround and trajectory correction.
The NCOP Select Committee has furthermore found that, in terms of the evidence provided by Councillors from Knysna Political Parties, Unions, external stakeholders (including KIG and the Business forum) and SALGA, it has become apparent that Knysna Municipality did not fail to perform its constitutional duties.
Minister Bredell said “I’m sure that most residents would disagree with this finding, and I hope that the residents of Knysna will understand that the Provincial Government’s hands have now been tied. No intervention by the Provincial Government will be successful when the political parties making up the Knysna governing coalition, through the NCOP, effectively have a veto right.”
Contact:
Wouter Kriel
Spokesperson for Minister Anton Bredell
Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Cell: 079 694 3085
E-mail: Wouter.kriel@westerncape.gov.za
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