GOOD Statement by Chantelle Kyd,
GOOD George Councillor
20 November 2025
The GOOD Party strongly condemns the George Municipality’s latest attempt to claim it will now “review its legislation and internal processes” after the fatal building collapse in May 2024.
This is not leadership. It is damage control.
The truth is simple: the municipality has deliberately delayed this review, despite being aware for months that urgent action was necessary to protect the public. On 31 July, in response to written questions submitted by GOOD, the municipality confirmed that the review was already in progress.
So why is nothing done? Why are communities still waiting? And why is the municipality pretending to “take action” only when backed into a corner by public pressure?
This is not a communication issue. It is a governance failure.
GOOD has firsthand experience of these failures. From March until the end of May, Cllr Kyd repeatedly tried to strengthen oversight and improve building safety but was blocked at every turn by the DA-led administration.
When she took office, she formally requested that the Director of Planning allow her to review how building control officers manage inspections and to conduct site visits herself. This was refused. The administration actively prevented the oversight that could have exposed the very weaknesses they are now pretending to “discover.”
Then, when GOOD attempted to speak publicly about the collapse and demand urgent intervention, the DA went even further: they blocked us
from raising the matter altogether. On 29 May, after being silenced on the biggest safety failure in the municipality, a collapse that killed workers and traumatised families, GOOD exited the coalition.
We will not be complicit in a government that suppresses accountability to protect itself.
We were further shocked to hear the Acting Mayor claim that “certain legislation still needs to be discussed with stakeholders,” while implying that holding the municipality accountable is unfair. This is a blatant attempt to shift blame away from the months of deliberate inaction and the blocking of meaningful reform.
Residents deserve more than recycled statements and empty promises.
They deserve:
• A full and honest update on what has (and has not) been reviewed since July;
• Immediate action on any identified gaps in oversight and enforcement; and
• Accountability for those who delayed critical safety processes and obstructed oversight.
This tragedy should have been a turning point. Instead, the municipality continues to choose spin over substance.
GOOD will continue demanding transparency, action, and the protection of our community, not the political games and obstruction we witnessed inside that coalition.
Media Enquiries: media@forgood.org.za