The DA’s reign in Knysna came to an end on Wednesday after councillors passed a vote of no confidence against mayor Levael Davis and his deputy, Mark Willemse.
The ANC’s Aubrey Tsengwa took the coveted mayoral chain from Davis, a DA member, whose party was in coalition with Willemse’s Knysna Independent Movement.
The no confidence vote, which was tabled by the ANC, Patriotic Alliance and Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners (PBI), carried 11 votes in support of it and 10 against. The EFF is also part of the new coalition.
The PBI’s Alberto Marbi was elected deputy speaker.
Willemse, who caused a stir in delivering what some called a “heated speech” during the special council meeting, told “Weekend Argus” the motion of no confidence was “frivolous”.
“My first duty as a councillor is to continue serving the community that elected me and to be an effective opposition to hold the current executive to account,” he said.
The ANC also secured the position of speaker, which is to be occupied by Mncedisi Skosana, who praised Tsengwa as “the face of the town”.
The DA’s constituency head in the region, Dion George, said the motions had nothing to do with “service delivery and everything to do with narrow self-interest”.
“A coalition of corruption has been cobbled together to loot and steal whatever might be left after the previous ANC government looted our town.”
Weekend Argus.