Were DA councillors Mark Willemse and Peter Myers opportunists or standing up for the values of the DA’s constitution by fighting corruption when they took over Knysna in June?

That’s a question that predictably remains unanswered despite the horrid possibility that ANC Leader Victor Molosi, who voted for Willemse to become Mayor, was relatedly assassinated on July.

The crime these DA councillors reported to the DA Federal Executive has been ignored. Instead, the priority of the Disciplinary Panel, chaired by Anton Coetsee, seemed to be to get rid of them. Whether Myers and Willemse are heroes or villains, this mess is only part of the bigger mess created by the likes of Premier Helen Zille, MEC Allan Winde and MEC Anton Bredell. Removing Myers and Willemse ensure greater chance of cover-up of corruption that the DA’s mafia leadership is involved in.

The Knysna Ratepayer’s association issued this update:

“The DA disciplinary proceeding of Mayor Willemse and Councillor Myers concluded Friday afternoon. The Panel found both defendants guilty of having broken the rule requiring that all caucus members vote with the caucus, even though it found that they had voted their conscience. It only found them guilty on that one count: of having failed to vote with their caucus. Here are the Panel’s recommended sentences, based on notes taken when the recommendation was read out.

MAYOR MARK WILLEMSE

Membership in the DA is terminated immediately, however, the sentence is suspended provided that:

1. He removes Councillor Myers from the Mayco within ten days of acceptance of the recommendation by the PEC.
   2 – All media releases be approved beforehand by the PEC.
   3 – He agrees to go through the DA’s formal mayoral selection process, and if he is not picked, he immediately resigns as Mayor.

My initial email to Disciplinary Chair Anton Coetsee included:

“These disciplinary hearings are a mockery of ethics supporting crime… If this disciplinary is to proceed, I wish to make submission. The Disciplinary Committee must understand what Myers and Willemse have replaced. It’s possible they may be opportunistic but the corruption they’re exposing on their enemies must be taken into account. The Committee must explain why this action is proceeding before the initial proceedings [by the DA Federal Executive] against Myers which began December 2017. Therein, I was [also] denied submission because it too had ulterior motive. The DA is repeating its De Lille mistake, lashing out at every opportunity instead of following unbiased process….”

Attached were my Love Knysna Petition to Parliament, the latest ruling, in my favour, by the National Council of Provinces, and my objections to Nicholas Gotsell and Glynnis Breytenbach (Federal Legal Commission).

My following email to Coetsee, with relevant attachments,said :

“In addition, note these complaints to the Public Protector which will affect your disciplining of Willemse and Myers. You need to be asking why just two are being singled out when others, from Premier Helen Zille and MEC Bredell to Councillors Spies and [name withheld], should be in your ‘dock’.

When I followed up, I found that I was blocked, listed as spam.

I consider the Disciplinary Panel to be a lynching crew that’s in the same faction that has turned the DA into a mafia of organised crime. Undoubtedly to the Panel’s dismay, the Federal Legal Commission covered their arses by throwing them their hot potato.

There is no morality to be found in DA Fedex Chair James Selfe, Premier Helen Zille, Western Cape Leader Bonginkosi Madikizela etc.  None of this is unsurprising. In my experience, the DA leadership, has failed to act for 8 years. Cape Town, PE, Oudtshoorn and others are discovering their own blue nightmare.

What’s more important in the short term is how Mayor Willemse and Councillor Myers will react.

They need time in order to gather more evidence and make as many changes as possible in the Knysna Municipality. Is there an appeal process? Will they form a new political party and run in a by-election, risking the damage the ex-Council leadership could do in the interim. Will Willemse again flip-flop for a salary?

Or will Willemse and Myers, for the first time, be transparent. Will they step out of the DA games in which they’ve been keen players and instead explain exactly to the Public what is going on? That should include a list of the corruption they’re allegedly standing against. As important is for them, also for the first time, to cooperate with Parliament and the Public Protector.

Politics will always be uncomfortably with us but, here and now, the health of a town and its 74,000 residents are falling off a cliff. Willemse and Myers need to throw a genuine lifeline. It will be a difficult climb but the only one worthy of our praise.

You can comment on the crooked DA on the Knysna Ratepayer’s post.

PS: Regards the header picture, 3 monkeys are generally shown as “See, Hear and Speak no Evil.” But there’s a 4th wise monkey who deserves more popularity. He can be seen holding his balls. He is “Do no Evil.” The DA needs to lift up those hands so the country can see what their private parts really look like. What are they ashamed of?