The Democratic Alliance (DA), led by caucus leader Levael Davis, has submitted a motion to dissolve the council. This drastic measure is a response to what Davis describes as an irreparably fragmented council incapable of forming a stable majority government.

This is the second significant political challenge in as many weeks for the beleaguered municipality. On Thursday, a motion of no confidence will be heard against the African National Congress (ANC) Mayor, Aubrey Tsengwa. Both motions have been lodged by opposition parties—the DA and the Knysna Independent Movement (KIM)—targeting the ANC-led coalition that currently governs the municipality.

The motions underscore a deeply divided council that struggles to deliver effective governance. Knysna has become synonymous with political instability. The council’s fragmentation has led to significant service delivery challenges, as councils flip from control of one coalition to another.

The DA’s motion argues that the current council configuration is too fragmented to sustain a stable government and calls for fresh elections to bring in a DA majority, hoping to overcome the issues with the currently hung council.

The DA is currently just one seat short of being able to secure a stable coalition majority.

DA-aligned KIM (Knysna Independent Movement) filed the no-confidence motion against Mayor Tsengwa, alleging improper dealings between the municipality and a local business—a claim that has already sparked legal threats over social media posts detailing these allegations.

Knysna is one of 16 hung councils in the Western Cape following the 2021 municipal elections. The DA-KIM coalition and the ANC-PA-PBI coalition each control a near-equal share of the council, while the the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) often switch allegiance between the two, which has caused instability and uncertainty.

While both factions have in the past been accused of some form of maladministration, the ANC-PA-PBI coalition, derisively labeled a “coalition of corruption” by the DA, has faced numerous allegations of severe financial irregularities, questionable hiring practices, steep rate increases, and a sharply deteriorating service delivery record.

The crisis reached boiling point in December 2023, when a breakdown in refuse removal services prompted an emergency intervention by the DA-led provincial government.

Despite the adoption of a support plan in March, which aimed to address the municipality's myriad issues, progress has been slow. While some improvements have been noted, such as enhanced communication strategies and the filling of key vacancies, critical areas like sewage and wastewater management remain problematic.

DA caucus leader Davis has criticized the ANC-led coalition for failing to implement long-term solutions, accusing it of making excuses rather than taking the necessary steps to prevent the town’s further decline.

Meanwhile, the Western Cape government, under the stewardship of MEC Anton Bredell, remains cautiously optimistic. Progress, though limited, is being made, and the provincial authorities have pledged continued support to Knysna in its efforts to overcome its current difficulties.

It is unclear whether the DA coalition's motion will succeed, given differing levels of confidence in their popular support between the factions, but all parties agree that the current instability is doing more harm than good.