Knysna: 11 of 67 Sewer Pump Stations Working, Raw Sewage in the Lagoon Town — Council Dissolved After 17 Months of Warnings

A March 2024 provincial diagnostic found regressive wastewater and solid-waste services in Knysna; the council never adopted the support plan. By September 2025 only 11 of 67 sewer pump stations were fully functional, 24 were dead and 56 of 136 pumps worked, with raw sewage in streets and waterways and chronic water outages. On 12 September 2025 the Western Cape Cabinet dissolved the council under s139(1)(c) — the province's first such dissolution.

The Record The Evidence The Named What Was Lost Implicated Institutions The Paper Trail

The Record

Knysna's lagoon is one of the country's most valuable natural assets and its tourism economy depends on it. In April 2024 the Western Cape government gave notice under s139 of its intention to intervene after a diagnostic found "regressive service delivery" in wastewater and solid waste. The ANC-led council did not adopt the support plan. A R9.7 million Water Resilience Grant was allocated. In May 2025 the main domestic water pump failed.

On 26 June 2025 Minister Anton Bredell gave notice of intention to dissolve the council: "no other option". Municipal manager Lulamile Mapholoba said the council was "preparing a response within the stipulated timeframe of 10 calendar days"; ANC caucus leader Khalid Sayed said the move "reflected DA concerns about coalition stability rather than governance issues". On 12 September 2025 the Provincial Cabinet dissolved the council under s139(1)(c), citing an inspection of 67 sewer pump stations that found 11 fully functional, 24 non-functional and 56 of 136 required pumps working, raw sewage in streets and waterways, and chronic water outages. An administrator took executive and legislative authority pending an election within 90 days. It was the first dissolution of a municipal council in the Western Cape's history.

The Evidence

Named

Institutions

Sources

Sector: Water & Sanitation · Scope: municipal (WC)

Alleged & Implicated

People documented as perpetrators, enablers, beneficiaries, orchestrators, political protectors, accused, or convicted in this case. Unless the case status is Convicted, allegations remain untested.