UPPA ACCEPTS THE ELECTION OUTCOME AND THANKS THE PEOPLE OF KNYSNA

The United Progressive People Alliance accepts the outcome of the 2026 Local Government Elections in Knysna and extends its sincere gratitude to every resident who placed their confidence in our organisation, our candidates and the programme we presented to the people of this municipality.

The final result has produced a 21-seat council in which no political party secured an outright majority. The Democratic Alliance secured nine seats, the African National Congress four, the Patriotic Alliance two, while the SACP, Freedom Front Plus, Knysna Civic Alliance, People’s Movement for Change, Choose CX and Economic Freedom Fighters each secured one seat. UPPA did not secure representation in the council. We accept that outcome with humility and respect for the democratic decision of the electorate.

We entered this election wanting to win representation and ultimately to be entrusted with the responsibility of governing. We make no apology for that ambition. However, our purpose in Knysna has always been larger than the outcome of one election. We came here to establish an organisation that would become rooted in communities, develop leadership, serve people consistently and earn the confidence required to play a meaningful role in the future of this municipality.

For that reason, we are not leaving this election disappointed or defeated. We leave it with a clearer understanding of the work ahead of us, with relationships built across communities, with supporters who have placed their trust in us, and with a responsibility to prove that UPPA is not an organisation that appears only when votes are required.

To every person who voted for UPPA, we thank you. Your support has given this organisation a foundation in Knysna. We do not take that confidence lightly and we will not disappear now that the election is over. We will continue to organise, to build structures, to engage residents and to be present in communities. To those who did not support us, we equally respect your decision. We understand that trust cannot be demanded and that it must be earned through consistent work.

Our campaign confirmed that there is a serious vacuum of political leadership in many parts of Knysna. Too many residents have become accustomed to instability, poor service delivery, unresolved infrastructure problems and political leadership that is often more visible during contests for power than during the everyday struggles of communities. UPPA intends to confront that vacuum by becoming a disciplined, dependable and permanent organisation on the ground.

The election outcome also means that the next municipal government will again emerge from a council without an outright majority. That places a serious responsibility on all those who will participate in constituting the next administration. The people of Knysna cannot afford another term consumed by instability, shifting political arrangements and competition for positions while basic problems remain unresolved.

UPPA is conscious that some of the political forces that will now participate in governing Knysna have previously carried responsibility in this municipality. Residents will therefore judge the incoming leadership not simply by its promises, but by whether it is able to produce a decisive break with the failures and instability of the past.

Our own posture will be constructive but firm. We are prepared to work with any political party, councillor, sphere of government, business formation, church, community organisation or civil society body that is genuinely committed to improving the lives of the people of Knysna. Where the municipality takes decisions that advance service delivery and improve the lives of residents, UPPA will support that progress. Where government fails, where communities are neglected or where public resources are not protected, we will raise those issues without hesitation.

The programme that UPPA placed before the electorate remains relevant beyond election day. Our six-point approach addressed municipal capacity, financial management, basic services, housing, community safety and economic development, together with the need to improve water and sanitation, strengthen roads and infrastructure, expand skills development and support township and local enterprise. These are not election slogans to be abandoned because we did not secure a council seat. They remain part of the work that Knysna must undertake.

In particular, we believe the incoming council must treat the first six months as a period of urgent institutional stabilisation. Critical municipal vacancies and prolonged acting arrangements cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely. Subject to lawful recruitment processes, key appointments should be concluded as quickly as possible and must be based on competence, integrity and the ability to perform. Knysna needs a professional administration capable of delivering services consistently and protecting public resources.

The same urgency must be applied to the material conditions facing communities. Residents want water systems that work, roads that are maintained, sanitation problems that are resolved, safer communities, opportunities for young people and an economy in which local businesses can grow. These are practical matters, and they require leadership that is willing to move beyond political rhetoric.

UPPA will continue working on the ground even without representation in the council. We will deepen our presence in the wards, strengthen our structures, develop a broader layer of leadership and continue the community work we began during the campaign. We will listen carefully to where we fell short, study the result honestly and correct our weaknesses. The organisation that contested this election will not be the same organisation that enters the next phase of Knysna politics. It must be stronger, more organised, more experienced and more deeply rooted.

We congratulate all those who have been elected to serve in the Knysna Municipal Council. Their responsibility now is not to celebrate positions, but to govern. The people deserve stability, accountability and visible progress. UPPA will support every genuine effort that moves Knysna forward, while remaining independent in our judgement and unwavering in our responsibility to the communities we seek to serve.

This election was our first major step in Knysna. It was not our conclusion.

We have introduced ourselves to the people. We have begun building an organisation. We have listened, learned and established a foundation from which much more will come.

UPPA is here to stay.

To everyone who voted for us, worked with us, welcomed us into their communities and believed in what we are building, thank you.

Our work continues.