Court case concluded, now Knysna awaits judgement to end dragging mayoral saga
The embattled Knysna mayor’s fate will soon be known after the court case, in which he challenged his removal from the DA and subsequently as Ward 9 councillor and mayor; was concluded last week and judgment reserved – YOLANDE STANDER reports
AN urgent High Court application for interdictory relief, that would reverse former mayor Mark Willemse s removal from the DA, was filed by his counsel in October last year.
Willemse, who was elected mayor of Knysna by the council in mid-2018, maintains his removal was unlawful.
The matter was heard and concluded on January 30, and acting judge Siegfried Gustav Sievers SC has reserved judgment.
Willemse seemed to have found himself in hot water with the DA when he voted “with his conscience” in an ANC-led motion of no confidence in former mayor Eleanor Bouw-Spies in June 2018.
He was subsequently nominated as mayor and the proposal was supported by ANC councillors, which saw Willemse become mayor after all DA councillors, excluding Willemse and former deputy mayor Peter Myers, walked out of the special councillor, Willemse survived two motions of no confidence submitted by his fellow DA councillors. He was eventually stripped of his party membership – which saw him removed as ward councillor and mayor – on September 30 last year.
This move was then challenged with a Western Cape High Court application for an interdict to place Willemse s removal from the DA, and subsequently his removal as councillor and mayor, on hold.
Willemse also submitted an urgent application to date for a by-election to fill his vacant seat. This relief was granted in October last year.
The court case involving his membership termination, following several postponements, finally came to a close last week. Sievers did not provide a timeframe for judgement but indicated that it would be soon.
In the meantime, Knysna Ward 9 remains without a councillor and deputy mayor Aubrey Tsengwa has taken over the powers and duties of Willemse.
Garden Route Media