Why did Knysna Knews delete Susan Campbell’s interesting comment from their FB page? It was about Municipal Manager Grant Easton and Deputy Mayor Esme Edge.

Knysna Knews has supported the DA’s Esme Edge more than any other page I know of. Was that why? I can’t think of another reason because Campbell’s comment was well articulated and non-confrontational.

Thankfully, I had copied the entire thread in case I needed to quote from it for an article.

Hopefully, Advocate Julie Seton (who I proved to be an administrator of that anonymously run page) or Esme Edge will share their opinion on this with us. Hearing both sides is encouraged and would be welcomed. Ahead of the elections, it’s important that the public understand these important issues.

Susan Campbell was responding to the ACDP’s Schalk van der Merwe whose opinion, without facts to support it, was that the changes in our Municipality were due to political interference he wants to stop. He was supporting Knysna Knew’s post that said: “Just heard that due to political interference we have just lost yet another essential person in top directorate position.. the DA caucus certainly has a lot to answer for.”

I tend to agree with Campbell that an important duty of councillors is to be oversight over municipal officials. All serious allegations must be investigated. It’s doesn’t pre-judge guilt. It’s just a responsible process.

My criticism of the DA is that they’ve chosen to investigate issues in which they are not implicated i.e. for 5 years, they wouldn’t investigate my Knysna Tourism allegations (Easton was involved but so were the DA).