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The by-election was delayed for an extended period following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. Willemse contested the by-election in ward 9 as an independent candidate on 11 November 2020. He lost to Sharon
Sabbagh, a former DA Johannesburg city councillor, who won 76.06%
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In May 2016, he was appointed as the
Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services. In August 2016, he was re-elected as a ward councillor and was also elected Speaker of the Eden District Council. He later resigned as Speaker in May 2017, but he was appointed to the post again the following month.
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On 31 May 2019, Willemse survived a vote of no confidence that was tabled by a municipal
Democratic Alliance councillor, Michelle Wasserman. Twelve councillors voted against the no-confidence motion, while seven voted for it. There was one spoilt ballot. The Democratic Alliance Speaker of the Knysna
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On 6 June 2018, he voted with the ANC to remove incumbent
Executive Mayor Bouw-Spies in a vote of no confidence, tabled by the opposition African National Congress. The vote was eleven to one against Bouw-Spies. Willemse and Peter Myers were the only DA councillors who participated in the vote. The
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In
September 2019, Willemse's caucus passed a motion of no confidence in him as Mayor. When he refused to step down, his membership was terminated. Upon his membership termination, Willemse said, “I'm bitterly disappointed in the outcome. It is mine and my legal team's contestation that I'm still a
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compared the removal of Bouw-Spies to that of a "coup d'état" and called on
Willemse to resign immediately. Willemse refused to step down as Mayor and tendered his resignation as Speaker of the Eden District Council, effective 11 June 2018. The party then consequently held disciplinary hearings and
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which dismissed his application, with costs. Since
Willemse's party membership was terminated, a by-election was scheduled to take place in his ward. The court agreed to suspend the vacancy until it heard Part B of his application to the court (arguing that the DA's so-called recall clause is
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unconstitutional). In the interim, the court refused his application to be returned as
Councillor, and therefore Mayor. Following the Court's dismissal of his application, a by-election was declared by the Independent Electoral Commission. He lost his appeal in March 2020.
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ANC did not propose an alternative candidate. Willemse, after nomination by Peter Myers, became the
Executive Mayor with COPE councillor, Ricky van Aswegen, as his Deputy Mayor. This move generated criticism from the provincial DA leadership structure. Provincial Leader
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Willemse has been involved in junior sports development and school feeding schemes in Knysna. He has served on the boards of the Knysna Sports
Development Trust, Epilepsy Knysna and Sinethemba. He regularly volunteered with the E’pap Feeding Scheme.
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found Willemse guilty of misconduct. Willemse appealed against the findings. Willemse's appeal was upheld by the DA Federal Legal Commission and he was therefore found not guilty of any breach of the DA Constitution.
252:, he lost the confidence of his caucus and was dismissed in October 2019. His application to court to overturn his dismissal was dismissed, with costs, in March 2020. Willemse was previously Speaker of the
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In May 2015, he was announced as the party's ward 9 councillor candidate for the by-election, that took place in the ward on Wednesday, 22 July 2015. He won the election with 68.98% of the vote.
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346:. He was elected back to council as one of two KIM PR councillors. After KIM and the DA formed a coalition, Willemse was elected deputy mayor of the municipality on 22 November 2021.
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in 1982. He has four years of military service. He later married Dalene in 1990, and they have three children together. He obtained diplomas in Business and Marketing from the
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since 2021. He is the former Executive Mayor of Knysna, and former Ward Councillor for Ward 9. Having taken office in June 2018 after voting with the ANC to unseat Mayor
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Council, Georlene Wolmarans, was removed in an ANC-sponsored motion. The following day, 1 June, the Democratic Alliance Provincial Leader
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SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader
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Willemse joined the Democratic Alliance in 2014. He was subsequently appointed Constituency Officer of the party's Knysna office.
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said that the party no longer recognises Willemse as a party member and that the DA is now the opposition in the municipality.
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691:"Disenchanted resident enters elections race to 'get things done right' at Enoch Mgijima Municipality"
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664:"DA concedes there is room for improvement when it comes to service delivery in its municipalities"
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Mark Sydney Willemse was born on 26 August 1964 in Cape Town. Willemse matriculated from the
244:(born 26 August 1964) is a South African politician serving as the Deputy Mayor of the
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342:'s candidate for Mayor of the Knysna Municipality and candidate for Ward 10 in the
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DA mayor 'ignores' party's instruction to step down from top Knysna post
557:"Mark Willemse: DA involved in spat with Knysna Mayor over membership"
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Knysna Mayor Mark Willemse resigns as Eden district council Speaker
377:, Knysna-Plett Herald, 6 June 2018. Retrieved on 13 April 2019.
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DA 'no longer recognise' Knysna Mayor Mark Willemse as member
365:, Eyewitness News, 12 June 2018. Retrieved on 13 April 2019.
272:. He achieved a Diploma in Transport Economics from the
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DA to oust mayor for voting against caucus instruction
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Results of the 22 July municipal by-elections - IEC
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401:, Showme, 29 May 2015. Retrieved on 14 April 2019.
74:Executive Mayor of the Knysna Local Municipality
757:Democratic Alliance (South Africa) politicians
507:Future of Knysna Mayor Mark Willemse in limbo
35:Deputy Mayor of the Knysna Local Municipality
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716:"New mayor, deputy mayor elected for Knysna"
459:MARK WILLEMSE NEW EXECUTIVE MAYOR OF KNYSNA
375:Mark Willemse new Executive Mayor of Knysna
321:member of the DA." Willemse approached the
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583:"Knysna mayor stripped of DA membership"
519:Knysna mayor Mark Willemse faces the axe
399:DA announces candidates for by-elections
608:Knysna Municipality announces new mayor
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772:University of the Witwatersrand alumni
622:. Knysna-Plett Herald. 22 October 2020
581:Adriaanse, Dominic (3 October 2019).
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620:"Meet your Ward 9 and 10 candidates"
555:Sicetsha, Andile (3 October 2019).
531:DA bid to remove Knysna mayor fails
16:South African politician (b. 1964)
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86:6 June 2018 – March 2020
767:Mayors of places in South Africa
483:WILLEMSE RESIGNS AS EDEN SPEAKER
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509:. Retrieved on 16 April 2019.
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447:Knysna mayor ousted in 'coup'
437:. Retrieved on 16 April 2019.
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340:Knysna Independent Movement
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169:Knysna Independent Movement
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642:"KNYSNA MAYORAL CANDIDATE"
423:New Eden Speaker appointed
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94:Aubrey Tsengwa (2019–2020)
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323:Western Cape High Court
121:Aubrey Tsengwa (acting)
338:Willemse stood as the
315:Bonginkosi Madikizela
306:Bonginkosi Madikizela
260:Early life and career
435:NEW SPEAKER FOR EDEN
270:Wits Business School
720:Knysna-Plett Herald
330:Post-mayoral career
250:Eleanore Bouw-Spies
182:Democratic Alliance
110:Eleanore Bouw-Spies
689:Masuabi, Queenin.
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561:The South African
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124:Ricky van Aswegen
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117:Succeeded by
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747:1964 births
589:. Cape Town
184:(2014–2019)
105:Preceded by
99:(2018–2019)
64:Preceded by
741:Categories
700:29 October
674:29 October
648:29 October
626:22 October
350:References
231:Politician
228:Occupation
145:1964-08-26
695:Citypress
593:9 October
566:9 October
299:Mayoralty
155:Cape Town
82:In office
43:Incumbent
212:Children
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189:Spouse
91:Deputy
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139:Born
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