The Knysna Independent Movement (KIM) has registered as a party to fight the Democratic Alliance (DA). It’s unlike other small parties that dot the province like pinpricks instead of injections.

It’s arisen as a result of Cape Town trying to control the town by repeatedly trying to kick out two of the more popular councillors – Mayor Mark Willemse and Peter Myers. The interesting fact is that they’re still DA; Willemse recovering from a heart attack; and Myers in his first week of a monthly suspension.

STANDING AGAINST DA BULLYING

Knysna’s crisis began when the DA took over in 2011. They may not admit it but it’s well known that Patricia de Lille’s Independent Democrats made a deal with the DA that scored them 4 mayorships in the Western Cape. That meant that De Lille’s mate Georlene Wolmarans became the Mayor of Knysna, making democracy cough like a smoker with tuberculosis. It’s rumoured that when Wolmarans was supposed to be booted out in 2016, as her entire faction as, De Lille saved her, allowing her to become Speaker despite the corruption she was involved in.

The DA’s election slogan of “transparency, austerity and open doors” got killed along with the spirit of the town.

DA PROVINCIAL LEADERSHIP IMPLICATED

Although mainstream media won’t report on it, Knysna is a special place because the leadership of the DA is implicated in its corruption. Citizens across the province have become aware and keep tabs through social media.

Premier Alan Winde is involved the illegal funding of private companies with taxpayers funds. Anton Bredell approved an illegal property tender for developers (and then perjured himself on video). Helen Zille knowingly allowed to crooks to become councillors. There’s also the gross mishandling of the Great Knysna Fire, especially the issuing of a fraudulent investigation into the cause. There’s much, much more. It’s such a mess that the likely reason why Helen Zille is now Knysna’s constituency representative is to maintain cover-up or attempt damage control – IMFUCKINGPOSSIBLE.

KNYSNA INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT (KIM)

KIM isn’t without controversy. It has to prove it’s not another alter ego of Peter Myers as I consider the Knysna Ratepayers’ Association, Knysna Politics Exposed and Mayor Mark Willemse to be.

Whilst Myers and Willemse may pretend to be on the sidelines, Myer’s wife Candace has publicly stated her disgust for the DA and support for KIM. If ever a husband and wife were glue in politics, it’s those two.

Myers staunchest ally is Susan Campbell. When I first entertained the idea of an independent party, and her running in ward 5, she told me she’d never become a politician,. Now she’s running as KIM’s candidate in the same ward which is also where Myers lives. As sidenote, so do ex-Deputy Mayor Esme Edge and her life partner Advocate Julie Seton, who are agents for the darkside of the DA, and enemies of both Myers and myself. They got him suspended and will soon have me jailed for defamation (cause I reported on their corruption).

Campbell may be a Myers supporter to default but she’s also exceptionally educated and hard working. She’s attended Council meetings for years and was instrumental in pausing Bredell’s corrupt ISDF tender that would have decided where roads, businesses and people would be located for the next 30 years.

IS THIS BY-ELECTION A LITMUS TEST?

Campbell has a major challenge. In 2016, in Ward 5, the DA won 75% of the vote, the ANC 17%.

Susan Campbell

Allegedly, the ANC isn’t running a candidate this time which will make some wonder whether there’s a deal with KIM. After all, Willemse has an ANC Speaker and ANC Deputy Mayor (who have stunned racist critics by being better than the DA politicians they succeeded).

Nevertheless, to defeat the DA in that big ward will be difficult. However, Campbell is likely to win over some of the wealthiest people from the areas of Belvidere and Brenton. Tougher will be finding love from forest dwellers and farm workers (although she did remarkable work for Brackenhill community on the other side of town).

But Campbell doesn’t have to win to shock Cape Town. The prize is the 2021 Local Elections when proportional votes count. That’s when KIM will undoubtedly run more candidates. Whilst the DA has given its middle finger to the town, it’s funding has rumoured to have dried up. That could swing towards KIM which is better connected to wealth.

RESERVATIONS VS DEMOCRACY

I may have my reservations about KIM but I’ve long proclaimed my belief in political parties serving their town and no one else – interventionist politics sucks.

Me having fun

I also said it must have the town’s name in the party name so as to make it more likely to engender and reciprocate loyalty. Of course, that can be scuppered if a small party trades its vote for a Mayoral Chair. Beyond morality, the way that can be avoided is by KIM winning two seats and making a partnership with a one-seat party. Three should be enough to create a swing block that can manipulate the DA and ANC. It could result in a Mayoral Committee (MAYCO) with 4 parties represented which, in turn, would better represent the town’s demographics. When one party dominates a MAYCO, as the DA did, it leads to nepotism.

The third tick for me is that the more friction there’s between active parties, the more chance of truth sparking outwards.

Most small parties are idealistic and useless but the people involved in KIM (Knysna Independent Party) have been rocking the town for three years, dodging the clumsy hammer of the Provincial DA that thinks democracy means destroying whoever disagrees with its corruption.

I’m interested to see what happens.

Join their Facebook page – www.facebook.com/KnysnaIndependentMovement

Susan Campbell – www.facebook.com/susancampbellknysna

PS: The seahorse was once a consideration of mine as a political logo but I decided it was too friendly, preferring the loerie bird as a symbol of beautiful yet stern resistance. But the seahorse is iconic of Knysna. KIM just needs to make it look more mature. And if they can compile masterful objections and affidavits, surely they can build a one-day website in one week, and issue a press release to all. Image matters when it demonstrates competence – https://knysnaindependentmovement.co.za