Local municipality · Western Cape

Knysna

21councillors in office

11wards

DAlargest party, 2026 · 9 of 21 seats

Hands over · first council sitting

Council now, and the council coming in

21 seats now · 21 in the incoming council. Majority is 11. No party reaches it on the declared result: a coalition will be needed.

PartySeats · now, then incomingChange

8 → 9 (+1)

ANC

7 → 4 (-3)

2 → 2

EFF

1 → 1

SACP

0 → 1 (+1)

FF Plus

0 → 1 (+1)

KCA

0 → 1 (+1)

PMC

0 → 1 (+1)

CCX

0 → 1 (+1)

KIM

2 → 0 (-2)

PBI

1 → 0 (-1)

now, 2021 termincoming, 2026│ majority line

Ward councillors

11 wards

PR councillors now

10 seats

Proportional seats as elected in 2021. Parties replace PR councillors mid-term without the IEC publishing it; replacements are recorded as events where a source exists.

PR councillors from 2026 · expected

10 of 10 named

10 proportional seats in the council elected on 4 November 2026. Expected from the IEC certified party lists and the declared seat allocation (list order, skipping ward winners). Confirmed when the IEC publishes its councillor list.

How Knysna measures up

How we judge

Knysna meets none of 6 yardsticks

Judged against National Treasury's and the Auditor-General's own norms, latest figures, 2023/24. Not a rating: 6 separate answers. How we judge.

Clean books?

Short of it

Findings

An unqualified audit with no findings

Knysna's books were unqualified, but the Auditor-General raised findings.

Knysna holds under a month of running costs in cash. Treasury asks for three.

best in Western Cape24 of 25worst

2024/25 · was 1.5 months↘ slipping

Collects what it bills?

Short of it

94%

norm 95%

For every R100 Knysna bills, it collects R94. Treasury expects R95.

best in Western Cape14 of 25worst

2024/25 · was 72%↗ improving

Looks after what it owns?

Well short

2.2%

norm 8.0%

Knysna spends 2.2% of what its roads, pipes and buildings are worth on repairs. Treasury's norm is 8%.

best in Western Cape18 of 25worst

2024/25 · was 3.1%↘ slipping

Spends the building budget?

Well short

-30%

norm 0%

Knysna left 30% of its building budget unspent: projects planned but not delivered.

best in Western Cape18 of 23worst

2023/24 · was -24%↘ slipping

19.9% of Knysna's spending was unauthorised, irregular, fruitless or wasteful. Treasury's target is none.

best in Western Cape21 of 25worst

2023/24 · was 14.6%↘ slipping

Treasury and Auditor-General detail

by financial year

For the whole 2021 to 2026 term, including every seat that changed hands, see the end-of-term report.

Audit outcome · Auditor-General, by financial year

2021/22Emphasis of Matter 2022/23Qualified 2023/24Emphasis of Matter

Cash coverage

0.0 mo2024/25

province median 2.9 mo · Treasury: bad

Debtor collection

94.4%2024/25

province median 97.6% · Treasury: bad

Repairs and maintenance

2.2%2024/25

province median 3.4% · Treasury: bad

Capital budget spent

-30.5%2023/24

province median -24.1% · Treasury: bad

Wasteful expenditure

19.9%2023/24

province median 2.0% · Treasury: bad

Current ratio

1.212024/25

province median 1.78 · Treasury: average

The council's record, not any councillor's. Source: National Treasury Municipal Money and Auditor-General reports, fetched 11 Nov 2026. Financial years end in June.

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