Knysna municipality given 2-week ultimatum to deal with water crisis

By Johnathan Paoli

Knysna’s long-running water and sanitation crisis has been thrust back into the national spotlight after Parliament’s Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration gave the local municipality just 14 days to submit a clear plan to address the failures.

The ultimatum follows mounting concerns over broken water pumps, sewage spillages, and the Western Cape provincial government’s attempt to dissolve the council under Section 139 of the Constitution.

The move would allow an administrator to be appointed and could lead to fresh elections within 90 days if the National Council of Provinces approves.

“Let us acknowledge the work that has been done so far, but we need that work to be maintained. Communities, all they need are service delivery. We do not want excuses, we want it done, so that communities can know they are being looked after,” committee chairperson Mxolisi Kaunda said.

He warned that Knysna’s