NCOP votes against dissolving Knysna council
Knysna’s troubled municipality has been spared dissolution after the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) voted against a bid to place it under administration.
Two weeks ago Western Cape local government MEC Anton Bredell moved to dissolve the council and invoke Section 139(c) of the Constitution.
But in a report tabled by the NCOP on Friday, seven provinces voted in support of keeping the current council, while two opposed.
The provinces that voted against dissolving the council were Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, Free State, Gauteng and North West.
KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape supported the move.
In response, Bredell 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.”
A parliamentary committee visited Knysna this week to hear concerns from stakeholders about the decision on whether the council should be dissolved.
It resolved to give the administration 14 days to provide a clear plan to address its water and sanitation challenges.
Committee chair Mxolisi Kaunda said they were concerned that many stakeholders had highlighted the issue of broken water pumps.
“The provision of quality water and sanitation is critical to the socio-economic well-being of residents,” Kaunda said.
The committee found that one of the major issues was the non-functioning water pumps, which affected the availability of water and led to sewerage spillages in the municipality.
“The committee emphasised that the municipality must have a clear plan to resolve the dispute with the service provider appointed to maintain the water pumps to ensure quality services for the people.”
The committee said it was informed that the municipality has filled senior management positions, which will ensure a strategic focus in implementing the municipality’s objectives as set out in the constitution.
Furthermore, the committee was informed that the council is sitting regularly, and that all committees, especially the Municipal Public Accounts Committee, are functional.
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