Cape Town - The Patriotic Alliance’s (PA) plan to unseat the DA in Knysna hit a snag after four of its motions of no confidence failed due to the EFF deciding to abstain.
The motions of no confidence were for mayor Laveal Davis, his deputy Mark Willemse, Speaker Julie Lopes and council chief whip Hilton Stroebel.
The DA has eight seats in the 21-seat council, the ANC seven, the Knysna Independent Movement (KIM) two, PA two and the EFF and Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners one each.
KIM was the only party that voted with the DA and with EFF abstaining, the votes were 10 on each side, for and against the motions.
This then led to the DA speaker having to cast the deciding vote.
The PA was in a coalition with the DA until two months ago when their relationship turned sour.
Gayton McKenzie’s party withdrew from the coalitions it had with the DA in Knysna and Matzikama.
Disappointed PA councillor Waleed Grootboom said he blamed the red berets for the failed motions of no confidence.
“We blame the EFF, we had an opportunity to be in charge.”
He denied that the motions of no confidence were frivolous but said it was due to the budget that is not pro-poor.
The PA also lost its mayoral committee seat as a result of its leader’s decision to withdraw from the coalition.
DA Knysna constituency head Dr Deon George said the motions were not about the budget but positions.
“At the council meeting, Marlene Boyce was appointed as acting municipal manager for one month.
“Although the DA voted in her favour, she was not the DA’s preferred candidate.
“At the meeting, the PA proposed a candidate from JB Marks municipality who would clearly not be in the best interests of the town, given his history in JB Marks and the charges he seems to be facing.”
He said KIM advised the DA that they would abstain if the DA’s preferred candidate was proposed.
“In that event, the PA’s candidate whom the ANC decided to endorse would have been appointed and there was no way in good conscience we could consider exposing the town to that risk.”
The PA is expected to try and convince the EFF to be their coalition partners and try again to change the government of the coastal town.
In Matzikama, there will be a by-election following the resignation of councillor Christo Boks.
Boks and PA Matzikama leader Brenden Owies joined the DA last month after the fallout between the two former coalition partners.
The DA will see if the pair’s popularity will gain them the seat as they plan to continue governing Matzikama.