The Lie

Is it incompetence or deliberate removal of the facts so that the Knysna public doesn’t get to know what’s going on?

At the Council meeting held September 25, DA chairpersons were again accused by the opposition of changing recommendations and not noting what had been noted i.e. what happens in Section 80 meetings are not represented appropriately in Mayoral and Council meetings. In case my readers have forgotten, the way decisions are passed is via 3 meetings: Section 80 -> Mayoral Committee -> Council.

Elrick van Aswegen, from COPE, was particularly vocal. Particularly, he wanted to know why Mayor Georlene Wolmarans was not responding to the Section 80 debates in her own Mayoral reports. He said that, “The Mayor’s report to Council is suppose to address it, not note it.” That means that she is suppose to actually respond rather than just say she realises a situation exists without her getting involved.

Mertle Gombo, from the ANC, was accusatory, stating that, “Politicians are interfering in the administration.”

The Truth

The minutes of a meetings are in no way fully representative of what is actually happening. Minutes should get to the heart of matters quickly so that all can understand and make decisions upon such but deliberately leaving out the financial trouble Knysna is in and the attitudes of those controlling us is could be considered a massaging of facts into a lie.

An example is ‘Grant Easton: Knysna Rates Must Go Up Double Digits’ (essential reading) which had all that was said by Lauren Waring (ex-Municipal Manager) and Grant Easton, the Financial Director and now acting Municipal Manager) removed from the minutes. I consider that meeting a pivotal moment in this administration yet the public were never meant to know about.

Are contentious moments ignored or reduced to few lines with the intention of being forgotten?

Why do they have green paper (secret) sessions for matters that should be public?

Why aren’t the agendas and minutes for these meetings being publicised?

Why aren’t the recordings of these minutes being uploaded to the Knysna Municipality website?