Listen here.With The Hawks investigating corruption at Knysna Municipality amid a failing intervention, Ron Weissenberg of The Accountability Group (TAG) tells Chris Steyn why interventions and money are not the solution. “They tend to paper over the problems and they address… emergencies on a short-term basis. However, when the money ends and the resources are withdrawn, we are left with exactly the same staff complement, the same management, the same issues around leadership and it's effectively taking almost an infant to just before walking stage and as a toddler and then leaving them alone thereafter.” As for the failure of “King Maker” Coalitions, Weissenberg says: “Voters appear...to like the concept of coalitions. But toxic coalitions don't like voters. And what happens is that great intentions, great speeches and a great playbook often results in quite the opposite. And you have the unfortunate situation where human nature, self-interest comes into play and...very quickly these coalitions move into managing the coalition rather than managing the municipality or the local authority. And that exacerbates service delivery…” While voters across the country hope for better municipal governance after the LGEs in November, Weissenberg advises residents how to use current legislation to pressurise political parties or individual independents into more appropriate action. .Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox every morning on weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa's bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..Edited transcript of the interview.Chris Steyn (00:01.521)Knysna Municipality: A Hawks investigation into corruption and a failing intervention. With me is Ron Weissenberg of The Accountability Group. Welcome Ron.Ron Weissenberg (00:13.304)Thank you, Chris. Good to be on the show again.Chris Steyn (00:16.935)You're welcome. What is the Hawks investigation going to be focusing on?Ron Weissenberg (00:23.63)It is already underway and it's focusing on corruption at this stage on a relatively small scale in the municipality. However, undoubtedly with the progression of the investigation, further points and charges will follow. The good thing is that it is underway and there is accountability at a higher level.Chris Steyn (00:47.207)Hm. Let us talk about the intervention. To what extent has it failed?Ron Weissenberg (00:55.08)That's a comprehensive question and I think maybe we should start by saying to what extent has it succeeded? Well it has succeeded in bringing attention to Knysna which is really just a microcosm of many municipalities. What about 100 municipalities have similar issues and problems that they're dealing with?In essence, following the unsuccessful attempt by province to place Knysna under Section 139c intervention, which was last September, and I say unsuccessful because it was supported and The Accountability Group of which I am a part was party to pushing for the full administration. Unsuccessful because the National Council of Provinces overturned the provincial ruling that administration should take place. That full administration would have resulted in the dissolution of the council as it then was, elections within 90 days and the normal political processes thereafter. What has happened is that we've had a Section 154 intervention instead which is essentially a substantial amount of support and intervention by province. According to the Premier some R72 to 80 million has been allocated and spent over the last at least 24 months and notwithstanding that and despite these incredible interventions the revolving door of mayors and senior executives specifically the management has continued turning and on the ground although it's not always visible very little has changed for on a permanent basis.Chris Steyn (02:52.09)Why are interventions and money not really the solution?Ron Weissenberg (02:58.177)The reason is that they tend to paper over the problems and they address urgencies and emergencies on a short-term basis. However, when the money ends and the resources are withdrawn, we are left with exactly the same staff complement, the same management, the same issues around leadership and it's effectively taking almost an infant to just before walking stage and as a toddler and then leaving them alone thereafter.Chris Steyn (03:32.826)You also believe that community involvement could actually perpetuate the decline in service delivery. What do you mean by that?Ron Weissenberg (03:40.696)Well, for the record, firstly, the Knysna community are incredible. They are resilient, kind, welcoming, hospitable, and for anyone locally or overseas looking toward an outstanding holiday or break, Knysna on the Garden Route is a definite inclusion in their agenda.And for the record, I am a great supporter of community involvement and support the various initiatives and civil society organisations. However, the issue is similar to intervention at a national or provincial level, except that in this case, we have many people, most of whom are retirees and then contributors. At last count, I think the Knysna Infrastructure Group had over 900 contributors and they provide funding for either projects or in the case of Knysna employees to conduct maintenance and of course to do basic management. The issue there is that these initiatives are not the long-term answer; they suffer from sustainability issues, succession planning where only a few people are involved and of course consistency. So as a short-term remedy they certainly work and they help and the idea of co-opting government is a good one but it also papers over the permanent issues.Chris Steyn (05:19.866)Let us talk about the failure of so-called Kingmaker coalitions. You have an African National Congress led municipality, in coalition with the Economic Freedom Fighters and the Patriotic Alliance and Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners ? Is that correct?Ron Weissenberg (05:36.958)That is correct. In point of fact, it's interesting the Democratic Alliance actually has the most seats in the council, but due to the coalition arrangements with those three parties, they have the majority and they become kingmakers in the coalition. Voters appear, not only in Knysna, but nationwide, to like the concept of coalitions. But toxic coalitions don't like voters. And what happens is that great intentions, great speeches and a great playbook often results in quite the opposite. And you have the unfortunate situation where human nature, self-interest comes into play and...very quickly these coalitions move into managing the coalition rather than managing the municipality or the local authority. And that exacerbates service delivery and in fact can damage it further.Chris Steyn (06:45.818)What shortcomings have you found in the municipal statutes and the Constitution?Ron Weissenberg (06:53.067)Well, there are several and firstly let me say we have a phenomenal Constitution. It is recognised internationally as one of the best in the world. However, that doesn't mean it's perfect. And there are aspects of our Constitution and our municipal statutes that are quite utopian but not particularly well suited to human beings.I think the first and most important issue around our Constitution is this concept of equity and equitability. And this is seen throughout and in municipalities like Knysna in employment policies.Interestingly enough, and this is directly from the Integrated Development Plan of Knysna municipality, the latest one. Here you have a municipality that has some one and a half billion rand of a fully funded budget. That means that there is revenue that they either have or assume that they will receive.There are just over 1,000, in fact 1,117 positions in the municipality to be exact, but only 633 of them are actually full or occupied. So there's a vacancy rate of 43%: just under 500 positions and of those just under 500 positions nearly 80% are critical core function vacancies. These are vacancies which are plumbers, electricians, workers,Ron Weissenberg (08:37.301)…road repairs, engineering, only 22% are the support staff or management or admin. And here the Constitution comes into play almost directly because these 484 positions are generally not filled because of equity requirements. So we have an unemployment rate of some 32%. I think that was the last statistic. But in reality, the skills that are available may only be available from a different demographic. Alternatively, you have a situation where a newly qualified plumber will get a position over and above a plumber with perhaps 25 years experience. And I'm sure you can imagine there's a huge difference in repairing a 300 millimeter mains reticulation pipe compared to installing a geyser in your home.Chris Steyn (09:37.276)Ron, the local government elections are coming up in November. Do you see the face of the Knysna municipal government changing?Ron Weissenberg (09:48.076)Well, that of course is the one and a half billion rand fully funded or not so much question. The short answer is yes. We do see the face changing. And in fact, one of the advantages that the Knysna voter has is that they have seen directly the consequences of coalition politics and where minority parties assume the position of kingmakers and instead of fulfilling their promises in their election manifestos, they actually fulfill other things. And we know all about that, that is sitting in investigations, tender corruption, delays, bureaucracy, etc. yes, we...It is likely that there will be a change, whether that change will result in a majority party. And I think it is critical that we do need a majority controlled municipality so that accountability can be placed directly at a political party rather than diluted as it is at the moment.Chris Steyn (11:04.518)Some municipalities are in such a terrible state that people say it hardly matters who wins, who gets into power because they simply will not have much to work with.Ron Weissenberg (11:18.305)One thing that the communities can do is use current legislation and even best practice and pressurize those political parties or individual independents into more appropriate action. For instance, there is a small part of the municipal acts which allows an interview panel, appointment panel for senior management. That's all the way from the municipal manager down to assistant directors and senior managers. That interview panel can consist of up to five people, three of which can be independent. Now, communities should push for community members properly qualified to be on that panel and to constitute the majority of that appointment process. In addition, communities should insist on things like psychometric testing. These are for important positions, whether it is for counsellors or for senior management and a batch of psychometric testing, which is the case in any industry where you have critical positions, is important to establish the competency and aptitude of the candidates.Chris Steyn (12:38.352)Realistically, Ron, how hopeful are you for the future of Knysna?Ron Weissenberg (12:43.275)I'm very hopeful. As I said, we have got a tremendous community, resilient, hardworking and really committed to the future of Knysna. Although I'm part of the older brigade, I must say that we've got a tremendous retirement and retired community who do incredible things for Knysna.I'm hopeful that the voters will see through the stories that are put together and hastily offered during election time and that the blind spots that not only our voters have but even certain prominent business leaders on certain political parties and characters, that people see through those and can vote for consistency, accountability and an efficiently-run municipality.Chris Steyn (13:45.18)Thank you. That was Ron Weissenberg of The Accountability Group in Knysna speaking to BizNews. I'm Chris Steyn. Thank you, Ron.Ron Weissenberg (13:53.976)Thank you very much.