Arrests follow long-running political and governance tensions in Knysna
Police have arrested Knysna’s former mayor, the acting municipal manager and the acting chief financial officer in connection with allegations that kickbacks were solicited from a businessman holding a municipal security contract. The three are expected to appear in the Knysna Magistrates’ Court on 5 October on corruption charges, police said.
The arrests come amid a prolonged period of political instability in the municipality. The former mayor, Thando Matika, was removed as an ANC councillor last month after standing as a candidate for the SACP in the upcoming local government elections. He was arrested alongside Boy Manqoba Ngubo, the acting municipal manager, and Busisiwe Lubelwana, the acting chief financial officer.
The police allege that the municipal security contractor was solicited for kickbacks and that hundreds of thousands of rand had already been paid. Authorities did not provide a detailed breakdown of the amounts in the arrest statement released to the media.
"After three years of DA investigations, there is now proof that our fight within the council was about the people of Knysna, and not politics," said DA Knysna mayoral candidate Levael Davis.
The DA has framed the arrests as confirmation of its persistent calls for heightened scrutiny of municipal finances and appointments. Party representatives said they had spent several years pressing for accountability and had raised concerns about alleged irregular appointments and the diversion of public funds.
- The arrested: Thando Matika (former mayor), Boy Manqoba Ngubo (acting municipal manager), Busisiwe Lubelwana (acting chief financial officer).
- Allegation: Soliciting and receiving kickbacks from a municipal security contractor; police say substantial sums were paid.
- Court appearance: Scheduled for 5 October at the Knysna Magistrates’ Court on corruption charges.
Calls for further accountability and possible financial recovery
DA councillors and candidates have urged that the matter should not end with arrests. They said if legal proceedings establish that municipal funds were unlawfully lost, every available mechanism should be used to recover money for residents.
In remarks reported by party representatives, the DA pointed to past interventions proposed by the Western Cape Government, including invoking Section 139 of the Constitution to place the municipality under provincial administration. The DA said that proposal had been rejected previously and described the arrests as vindication of its concerns about governance failures.
GOOD Garden Route Municipality councillor and mayoral candidate Rosa Louw welcomed the arrests, according to reporting, adding to cross-party calls for transparency and stronger oversight of procurement and appointments in Knysna.
| Person | Position | Legal status |
|---|---|---|
| Thando Matika | Former mayor | Arrested; due in court 5 October |
| Boy Manqoba Ngubo | Acting municipal manager | Arrested; due in court 5 October |
| Busisiwe Lubelwana | Acting chief financial officer | Arrested; due in court 5 October |
Residents and opposition parties have linked alleged financial mismanagement to deteriorating municipal services. The DA highlighted a series of local issues it says could have been addressed had funds not been diverted, naming water infrastructure, sewerage, roads, refuse removal and the Knysna Estuary as areas affected by governance failure.
Police have not released further operational details about the investigation or the identity of the contractor implicated in the matter, citing the ongoing nature of the inquiry. The arrested individuals will have the opportunity to respond to the charges in court. Any further disciplinary or recovery actions will depend on the outcomes of criminal and administrative processes.
The arrests mark a new chapter in Knysna’s fraught municipal politics as the town heads toward local government elections, with parties and residents watching closely for evidence that accountability will follow alleged wrongdoing.
