ANC-appointed municipal manager in Knysna removed by court ruling

The Western Cape High Court has overturned a decision made more than a year ago, on January 25, 2023, to appoint Phineas Ombali Sebola as Municipal Manager (MM) of Knysna. In a judgment delivered today, Friday, May 10, Judge M Pangarkar ruled Sebola’s appointment as MM “null and void,” effective immediately.

Last year, two applications, one by the DA and the other by Western Cape Local Government MEC Anton Bredell, were filed in the Western Cape High Court to challenge the lawfulness of Sebola’s appointment.

Pangarkar has directed the Knysna Council to readvertise the vacant MM position and restart the appointment process. The court’s decision coincides with Sebola’s recent apology for using inappropriate language towards a DA councillor during a council meeting.

Despite the nullification of his appointment, Pangarkar clarified that the decisions Sebola made while serving as MM remain valid.

The court has ordered the Knysna Municipality and the Municipal Manager of Knysna to cover the legal costs of the DA and the MEC. Sharon Sabbagh, a DA Ward 9 councillor who played a key role in challenging Sebola’s appointment, expressed her satisfaction with the judgment, stating that it vindicated their initial stance on Sebola’s suitability for the position.

“It again supports my claim that the “coalition of corruption” councillors (ANC EFF, PBI and PA) have yet again failed our town by making an unlawful appointment,” Sabbagh added.

The town has also struggled with water shortages, refuse collection problems, and financial errors like double debits. Residents have protested, demanding better governance. The council’s focus on issues like debt write-offs and salary increases has raised concerns about its priorities. The situation mirrors that of Plettenberg Bay, where a similar political change has led to fears of worsening governance.

While the DA’s leadership of the Garden Route has been characterised by a preservation of ANC cadres in civil service and a poaching of questionable candidates from an ANC background, their level of neglect appears unsurprisingly to be far less severe than that of the ruling party.

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