The Knysna Magistrate’s Court has postponed the corruption case against former executive mayor Thando Matika, acting municipal manager Boy Manqoba Ngubo, and acting chief financial officer Busisiwe Lubelwana to Monday, 12 October 2026, for formal bail applications.

The trio, who remain in custody, were arrested last week Thursday by the South African Police Service (SAPS) Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).

The state requested the postponement to verify profiling information ahead of the bail proceedings.

According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the prominent local officials face serious charges of corruption, extortion, and money laundering. Investigators allege that the senior leadership solicited hundreds of thousands of rands in kickbacks from a businessman in exchange for safeguarding his R68-million municipal security services contract.

The contractor allegedly paid the amounts out of fear that his tender would be summarily terminated.

The arrests have aggravated an ongoing leadership and governance crisis within the municipality just weeks ahead of the upcoming local government elections.

Matika was stripped of his mayoral chain by the African National Congress (ANC) on 18 September 2026 after the Electoral Commission (IEC) confirmed his candidacy under the South African Communist Party (SACP) banner.

While Matika had previously challenged his removal from council, his subsequent arrest has effectively sidelined him from local administration.

Deputy Mayor Morton Gericke has since assumed duties as the acting mayor.

Meanwhile, the SACP Western Cape leadership has called for due judicial process, expressing hope that the arrests are not the result of local “palace politics” or political backstabbing.

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