Knysna Local Municipality elections

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The Knysna Local Municipality council consists of twenty-one members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. Eleven councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in eleven wards, while the remaining ten are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received. In the election of 1 November 2021 no party obtained a majority of seats on the council.

Results

The following table shows the composition of the council after past elections.

Event ANC DA IND OtherTotal
2000 election 671216
2004 floor-crossing752216
2006 election 750416
2007 floor-crossing950216
2011 election 7101119
2016 election 7101321
2021 election 780621

December 2000 election

The following table shows the results of the 2000 election. [1]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Democratic Alliance 6,36142.4446,58043.6237
African National Congress 5,24134.9725,47636.3046
Knysna Community Forum 1,95813.0612,73718.1412
Independent candidates 1,2138.0911
United Democratic Movement 2151.4302931.9400
Total14,988100.00815,086100.00816
Valid votes14,98898.4415,08698.31
Invalid/blank votes2371.562591.69
Total votes15,225100.0015,345100.00
Registered voters/turnout23,46564.8823,46565.40

By-elections from December 2000 to September 2004

The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period between the election in December 2000 and the floor crossing period in September 2004. [2]

DateWardParty of the previous councillorParty of the newly elected councillor
24 July 20023 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance

September 2004 floor crossing

In terms of the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, in the period from 1–15 September 2004 councillors had the opportunity to cross the floor to a different political party without losing their seats. In the Knysna council, one councillor crossed from the Democratic Alliance (DA) to the African National Congress, while another councillor left the DA to sit as an independent.

PartySeats beforeNet changeSeats after
African National Congress 6Increase2.svg 17
Democratic Alliance 7Decrease2.svg 25
Knysna Community Forum2Steady2.svg 02
Independent 1Increase2.svg 12

By-elections from September 2004 to February 2006

The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period between the floor crossing periods in September 2004 and the election in March 2006. [2]

DateWardParty of the previous councillorParty of the newly elected councillor
22 September 20048Knysna Community Forum African National Congress

March 2006 election

The following table shows the results of the 2006 election. [3]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
African National Congress 6,46840.0156,44740.0327
Democratic Alliance 4,71029.1424,81329.8835
Knysna Community Forum 1,77811.0011,94312.0612
Independent candidates 1,95912.1200
Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa 1,66310.3211
Independent Democrats 6273.8806514.0411
African Christian Democratic Party 4262.6404212.6100
United Independent Front 1971.2201691.0500
Total16,165100.00816,107100.00816
Valid votes16,16598.6116,10798.34
Invalid/blank votes2281.392721.66
Total votes16,393100.0016,379100.00
Registered voters/turnout27,85058.8627,85058.81

September 2007 floor crossing

The final floor-crossing period occurred on 1–15 September 2007; floor-crossing was subsequently abolished in 2008 by the Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution. In the Knysna council, the two councillors of the Knysna Community Forum crossed to the African National Congress, and the single councillor of the Independent Civic Organisation crossed to the National People's Party. [4]

PartySeats beforeNet changeSeats after
African National Congress 7Increase2.svg 29
Democratic Alliance 5Steady2.svg 05
Independent Democrats 1Steady2.svg 01
National People's Party Increase2.svg 11
Knysna Community Forum2Decrease2.svg 20
Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa 1Decrease2.svg 10

May 2011 election

The following table shows the results of the 2011 election. [5]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Democratic Alliance 11,73649.54511,84451.56510
African National Congress 8,76436.9949,11139.6637
Congress of the People 1,6016.7601,5966.9511
Independent candidates 1,1324.7811
African Christian Democratic Party 3531.4903601.5700
Cape Party 1040.440610.2700
Total23,690100.001022,972100.00919
Valid votes23,69098.9322,97296.92
Invalid/blank votes2571.077303.08
Total votes23,947100.0023,702100.00
Registered voters/turnout36,33265.9136,33265.24

By-elections from May 2011 to August 2016

The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period between the elections in May 2011 and August 2016. [2]

DateWardParty of the previous councillorParty of the newly elected councillor
2 July 20145 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance
22 July 20159 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance
10 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance

August 2016 election

The following table shows the results of the 2016 election. [6]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Democratic Alliance 12,09848.11612,48951.15410
African National Congress 7,77730.9338,15333.3947
Congress of the People 1,4305.6911,4025.7401
Independent candidates 1,4625.8111
Knysna Unity Congress 5352.1305032.0611
African Christian Democratic Party 4621.8404361.7911
Economic Freedom Fighters 4271.7004201.7200
Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa 3501.3903501.4300
African Independent Congress 1640.6503361.3800
Freedom Front Plus 2090.8301750.7200
Ubuntu Party 1110.440520.2100
South African Religious Civic Organisation 360.140360.1500
Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners 250.100440.1800
Democratic New Civic Association 490.1900
South Africa Civics 120.050220.0900
Total25,147100.001124,418100.001021
Valid votes25,14798.8724,41896.50
Invalid/blank votes2871.138863.50
Total votes25,434100.0025,304100.00
Registered voters/turnout40,01463.5640,01463.24

By-elections from August 2016 to November 2021

The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period between the elections in August 2016 and November 2021. [2]

DateWardParty of the previous councillorParty of the newly elected councillor
24 October 20188 African National Congress African National Congress
13 February 20194 Independent African National Congress
21 August 20195 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance
4 December 201911 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance
11 November 2020 [Note 1] 9 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance
10 Democratic Alliance Democratic Alliance
21 April 202111 Democratic Alliance African National Congress

November 2021 election

The following table shows the results of the 2021 election. [7]

PartyWardListTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Democratic Alliance 8,17634.7358,42136.1538
African National Congress 7,66032.5467,88933.8717
Knysna Independent Movement 1,9018.0701,7977.7122
Patriotic Alliance 1,7257.3301,7297.4222
Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners 1,1094.7101,0524.5211
Economic Freedom Fighters 5582.3706102.6211
Freedom Front Plus 5422.3004511.9400
Good 4141.7603931.6900
Independent candidates 5732.4300
African Christian Democratic Party 2080.8801880.8100
Knysna Unity Congress 1600.6801850.7900
Cape Independence Party 1550.6601540.6600
Active United Front 950.4001460.6300
United Independent Movement 700.300540.2300
Congress of the People 620.260570.2400
The Organic Humanity Movement 280.120470.2000
African Transformation Movement 260.110390.1700
Africa Restoration Alliance 250.110280.1200
Dagga Party 160.070280.1200
Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa 110.050270.1200
Knysna Social Democratic Party 280.1200
Total23,542100.001123,295100.001021
Valid votes23,54298.4923,29598.07
Invalid/blank votes3611.514581.93
Total votes23,903100.0023,753100.00
Registered voters/turnout42,79055.8642,79055.51

By-elections from November 2021

The following by-elections were held to fill vacant ward seats in the period since the election in November 2021. [2]

DateWardParty of the previous councillorParty of the newly elected councillor
25 Jun 2025 [8] 8 African National Congress African National Congress
20 Aug 2025 [9] 3 African National Congress African National Congress

Notes

  1. By-election was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

  1. "Election Result Table for LGE2021 — George". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Municipal By-elections results". Electoral Commission of South Africa. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. "Election Result Table for LGE2021 — George". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  4. "2007 Floor Crossing - Summary report" (PDF). Electoral Commission. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  5. "Election Result Table for LGE2021 — Knysna". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  6. "Election Result Table for LGE2021 — George". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  7. "Election Result Table for LGE2021 — George". wikitable.frith.dev. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  8. Sussman, Wayne (26 June 2025). "Mossel Bay's by-election: Patriotic Alliance surges, DA's stronghold shaken in local politics". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
  9. Sussman, Wayne (21 August 2025). "PA delivers huge scare for ANC, DA in by-election nailbiters". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 21 August 2025.