“This is not a free pass – it is a call to action,” says Knysna Executive Mayor, Thando Matika, referring to the decision of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) to dismiss the Provincial MEC for Local Government’s notice to dissolve the Knysna Council.
“Strong representations were made to the NCOP Select Committee during their visit to Knysna on 23 September,” said Matika. “I am grateful to the Chief Whips of nearly all political parties, as well as civil society organisations, who opposed this move. The NCOP dismissed the notice on 26 September and advised that more support be given.”
Matika stressed that this ruling comes with responsibility, “As a disciplined and inclusive leader, I serve all the people of our beautiful Greater Knysna. I trust MEC Bredell will not see this as a loss, but as an opportunity to consider alternative support. I will invite him to meet with me and my team to explore these measures.”
The NCOP has directed Council to address specific matters without dissolution. Matika has consequently proposed a 14-day turnaround strategy, a 30-day visible action plan and a 3-month intervention program to:
- stabilise urgent service delivery challenges within 14 days;
- demonstrate visible improvements in 30 days;
- implement sustainable interventions within 3 months; and
- strengthen innovation, accountability and public participation.
Important interventions will include but are not limited to:
- establishing a service delivery “war room” chaired by the Executive Mayor;
- activating a 24/7 hotline and WhatsApp reporting tool;
- deploying emergency repairs task teams;
- initiating a stakeholder partnership forum; and
- emergency repairs budget reallocation from the Operation Expenditure Budget.
Matika has acknowledged serious service delivery challenges in water, wastewater and refuse management. He said that since he took office in February, progress is already underway:
- Council has adopted a funded budget supported by Treasury;
- the Consolidated Executive Obligations Monitoring and Enforcement Framework (CEOMEF) was adopted to strengthen compliance and delivery;
- a Water Services Development Plan has been approved to address urgent infrastructure needs, and
- funding provision has been made to expand the waste management fleet, to mention a few.
He cautioned residents not to expect quick fixes. “Many of our problems stem from old and crumbling infrastructure that will cost millions to replace. We are engaging National Treasury mechanisms such as the Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) to secure funding for large-scale projects.”
Matika met with senior management on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, to address the detailed short-, medium- and long-term plans to combat these challenges. He added that officials must also acknowledge their responsibilities, as they are a key pillar in the local government structure. “A customer-centred approach must form the foundation of our collective response to these challenges. The focus should shift from obstacles; we must be able to see beyond them and be innovative in our thinking,” he said. “Consequence management will be enforced and staff will be held accountable.
“Thank you to our residents, business leaders and civic organisations for your support. It confirms that Knysna is united in wanting progress. Together, we can build a municipality that is inclusive, innovative, and inspired,” he concluded.