GEORGE & KNYSNA NEWS - Alberto Marbi, a former Knysna deputy mayor and Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners (PBI) councillor at the Garden Route District Municipality, has announced that he will be joining the People's Movement for Change (PMC), led by Marius Fransman.
This marks a significant political shift amid an ongoing dispute over his departure from the PBI.
In a Facebook post shared on Tuesday evening, Marbi confirmed his new political home ahead of the 2026 local government elections, saying his time with the PBI had come to an end, but his political journey would continue.
"It was an honour to serve each and every one of you," Marbi said in a previous statement. "This is not the end of my journey in politics."
He said he was "switching to seventh gear" as he prepared for the next phase of his career.
However, his exit from the PBI remains contested. The party has disputed Marbi's account, stating that he did not leave voluntarily, but was instead removed following some internal processes.
In a statement, the PBI said it had "taken note of" his announcement, but confirmed that his membership and councillorship had been terminated with immediate effect.
The PBI further raised its concerns about his alleged involvement with another political party while still serving in a PBI seat, claiming that some colleagues had reported the matter and that his explanations were "vague and insulting".
According to the party, the decision to terminate his membership followed confirmation of his alleged alignment with another political formation.
The PBI also referenced earlier legal proceedings involving Marbi, stating that previous findings had influenced internal party decisions. It said following what it described as a "damning judgment", Marbi had previously been reassigned to the Garden Route District Municipality in an attempt to give him a "lifeline" and opportunity to recover.
Despite the dispute, the PBI said it wished Marbi well and thanked him for his contribution to the party.
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