Below is the latest Newsletter from Memory Booysen, mayor of Bitou together with JEF’s responses.
Seventh Mayoral Letter
Date: January 30, 2012 | Posted in Letters & Opinions | News | Plettenberg Bay News
26 January 2012
Greetings for 2012!
At the start of our new year I would like to compliment the huge effort that went into security and crowd control for the Matric Rage, New Year’s Day and the season generally.
For the Matric Rage, an annual event that draws thousands of school leavers to Plettenberg Bay, considerable effort and coordination went into protecting our students. The SAPS, Traffic department, night clubs, the taxi association all worked together to improve transport for the students late at night and protection around the clock. A private security firm was contracted to assist with safety and check that no liquor was sold to under 18s. An estimated 5,000 students came to Plett during the two-week period. Their visit contributes greatly to our economy, and we appreciate them.
A similar joint effort went into the celebration on New Year’s Day and I can proudly say it was the calmest and best controlled in years. For the first time, we enforced the liquor act which bans liquor in public areas and allowed no alcohol on the beaches. People were searched and either turned away or requested to pour it out. People want a safe day on the beach with their kids and said it was a relief not to have drunk people spoiling the atmosphere.
We will continue to enforce this ban year round, and request increased police presence to also deter theft. Beach clean-up personnel said rather than needing a front end loader for all the bottles, they just needed a rake. Thanks to all the participating departments and private sector who worked together to keep our beaches safe and a fun place to spend the day. It was noticed and appreciated.
Feedback from the staff on the ground is that they were encouraged that senior management were very visible on the ground, showed a keen interest in what was happening and were supportive of their efforts.
That said; there were still unacceptable incidents of crime all over Plett, from our townships to high profile areas such as our main street, shopping malls and the beaches. We cannot rest on our laurels. There are many suggestions coming in of how we can improve and these suggestions are welcomed and will be seriously considered by those responsible. We have to walk the tight rope between being over controlling-spoil-sports and having zero tolerance for crime – we will give this our best shot. Your feedback is invaluable in achieving this.
MATRIC RAGE:
The Mayor takes credit for the calm matric rage. However, these are the facts:
1. Fortunately one of the local security companies phoned the Acting Municipal Manager, Duppie Du Plessis, a week before the rage, to inquire when they can expect the Strategic Plan (a comprehensive logistic plan of action submitted by the municipality to all law enforcement institutions in the past to ensure law and order during this time).
2. Duppie replied that he doesn’t have a clue what this entails and moreover that he is on holiday and cannot give his attention to it.
3. On insistence of the security company Duppie eventually told them to draw up the plan themselves and liaise with the SAPD and the Bitou Law Enforcement Unit and organize everything exactly as they did in the past.
4. Neither he nor the Mayor took any part in the planning and strategizing of the event. In fact, the Mayor was oblivious to the part which the municipality was supposed to play in the process.
5. Thankfully sanity prevailed and Duppie authorized the Bitou Law Enforcement Unit to participate in the planning and implementing of the plan, despite of the Mayor and Speaker’s reservations and resentment against them.
6. The unit immediately implemented the plan of action for the season and pulled off a majorly successful rage together with the SAPD and local security companies. All credit due to them. All their efforts and hard work paid off.
7. It is shameful how the Mayor takes credit for other parties’ achievements and then goes even further and utilizes the favourable result which they achieved to try and score political points.
RETRACTION.
On page two of my letter dated 9 December 2011, under the heading “R28 m Land Fiasco”, I reported on various issues relating to the agreement for the purchase of land dated 28 January 2011 entered into between Wavelengths and Bitou. Following this letter our attorneys received a letter from Wavelengths attorneys recording that they were of the view that the statements published were defamatory and/or inaccurate and reserving Wavelength’s rights in this regard. We dispute that these statements were defamatory and/or inaccurate in any respect, and the municipality does not admit any liability in this regard. The Municipality nevertheless hereby unconditionally retracts the statements made, and specifically the statement that ‘As time passes by it becomes more and more evident that the deal was not kosher. Criminal charges are currently being investigated in parallel with the disciplinary charges already running’.
RETRACTION:
The Mayor honestly needs to fire whoever is advising him. No wonder the budget for legal fees is already exhausted. JEF surely does not need to explain how contradictory and meaningless this “retraction” is. Wavelength’s attorney is probably still laughing after reading this.
We can now report that Judge Combrinck has handed down his findings in the disciplinary hearing of the suspended Municipal Manager. Certain of the charges brought against the suspended Municipal Manager were related to the role he played in this land deal. Judge Combrinck has found the suspended Municipal Manager guilty on four of the seven charges brought against him for breaches of various provisions of the Municipal Systems Act and the Municipal Financial Management Act.
The suspended Municipal Manager was found guilty of misrepresenting to Wavelengths attorneys that the Municipality had obtained the funds to pay the agreed price of R28 million for the purchase of the land, and of giving the false impression that the suspensive condition contained in the Deed of Sale (namely, that the sale would only become effective once the funds necessary to pay the purchase had been secured from Province) had been met. In coming to his finding Judge Combrinck commented that what the suspended Municipal Manager’s “motive was for persuading the Council to pay R28 million for the property remains unanswered. That he did not act with fidelity, honesty and integrity is stating the obvious”.
The R28m land deal/Wavelengths trial date has been rescheduled to 28 February, 2012.
JUDGMENT OF THE DISCIPLINARY HEARING OF THE MUNICIPAL MANAGER:
JEF understands that the municipal manager will appeal this judgment. After a careful study of the judgment and both sets of legal arguments, JEF is convinced that it will eventually be rescinded by either the Bargaining Council or the Labour Court on various points. The findings contradict the basic fundamental principles of Local Government. For instance; in the judgment it is said that it escapes the chairperson how it can be argued that the Mayor and Speaker unlawfully interfered with the municipality’s administration. However, everyone in Local Government knows that it is specifically prohibited in terms of the Constitution. It is unlawful for any councillor to interfere with the administration of the municipality and in fact; disciplinary action MUST be instituted by the Speaker against such councillor who contravenes this regulation. In another instance it was found that municipal manager is in the employment of the Mayor. It escapes JEF that the Chairperson doesn’t know that full council is the employer and that the legal relationship between them is not one of master and servant. The municipal manager is the head of the municipality (administration and day to day running of the municipality) and the Mayor the head of the council (policy making and decision taking on certain issues). They enjoy equal status and fulfil completely different functions.
Personnel Changes
Chief Financial Officer Deon Lott resigned effective 20 January, and Manager of Budget and Treasury Mandy Cornett resigned effective 13 January; both have joined Oudtshoorn’s municipality.
Arising out of these two resignations, Thys Giliomee, has been appointed Acting Chief Financial Officer until the position can be advertised and filled. Thys is highly qualified, holding six university degrees, in law, economics and public administration, and is an advocate of the High Court. I think it is safe to say that our finances are in capable and safe hands.
Keith Jordaan, former CFO of Oudtshoorn, has been appointed Acting Manager of Budget and Treasury until the position is advertised and filled. He has been a tremendous asset to us already. In my next letter I will have a full report on our finances once Thys and Keith have done their investigations and Council receives the Auditor-General report.
I am also very pleased to welcome Dupre Lombaard who joined us 1 January as our Head of Strategic Services, responsible for Town Planning, Tourism, Local Economic Development, Integrated Development Planning, Building Controls & Infrastructure, and Performance Management Systems. Dupre joins us from Stellenbosch Municipality and is a Plett homeowner. One of Dupre’s priorities will be to clean out the backlog of building applications and get the construction industry pumping in Plett. If you have an outstanding land use and/or building application that you would like to enquire about, please send an email or letter to the Acting Municipal Manager, Duppie du Plessis (duppie.duplessis@pgwc.gov.za).
PERSONAL CHANGES:
If only these changes were legal and in accordance with the law…
JEF in any event wishes them all success in their new positions. JEF is however curious how Thys Gilomee managed to obtain 4 university degrees in the period stretching from his testimony in the municipal manager’s disciplinary hearing to the date of the Mayor’s 7th letter. JEF furthermore trusts that he managed to establish in the meantime in terms of what legislation the financial statements are drawn up and which accountancy system is used. If not, our municipality’s finances will soon be ‘n G.R.A.P (those of you who had the privilege to witness Thys attempting to cross examine Brian Molefe will catch this one!)
Maladministration
Contrary to the untruthful rumors being spread in e-mails, on websites and in the local press, preliminary investigations into maladministration and corruption in our administration have revealed that a disturbing number of such incidents did indeed take place. It is time consuming to investigate these, compile the necessary evidence and draft the disciplinary, criminal and other charges and civil claims against those involved. The mere fact that we have not, as yet, acted in this regard does not mean that no evidence has been found.
I am advised that charge sheets will be served on at least nine employees relating to financial and other misconduct and that the disciplinary hearings will commence in February.
As I have mentioned before, it is a long, arduous process to investigate and prepare the charges, but we are making progress. Already there are signs that people who have been involved in shady activities are seeking greener pastures elsewhere.
We remain determined to root out all maladministration and corruption in the municipality. We will do so without fear or favour and will not spare anybody involved whether they are employees, ex-employees or outsiders.
Maladministration
Excuses, excuses and more excuses. If they want to root out maladministration and corruption the municipality need only look at what they have done the last 6 months. Unfortunately the municipality investigates only the tips they receive (on their corruption “hotline”) for incidents which took place before June 2011. The nine employees who received notices of disciplinary hearings are the last employees who are suspected of leaking out damaging information (i.e. Didata-gate and Brummer’s email). If they get rid of them, the last “rotten apples” will be gone and they may continue with business unfettered.
Organizational Restructuring.
It has been a long process, but our much-needed Organizational Design project will commence in February with PricewaterhouseCoopers having been appointed as the service provider. This project is being funded by Province and its objective will be to determine the organization structure needed to do the work of our municipality efficiently and what posts are needed, develop a proper job description for each post and ensure a suitable person is in that post. To know exactly who is responsible for what will make the municipality much more manageable. The anticipated completion date is August 2012 whereafter it will go to Council for approval.
ORGANIZATIONAL RESTRUCTURING
JEF cannot understand why PricewaterhouseCoopers must be appointed to draft a simple micro- and micro organizational structure monogram. Is not one of the newly appointed Local Government experts capable of doing it? Not even Thys Giliomee who claims to be an expert in Labour Law and apparently holds 6 university degrees?
Dimension Data
As the saying goes, “No good deed will go unpunished.” As reported before, DiData, through the good offices of Jeremy Ord, assisted us in our moment of need to do a system and needs analysis of our IT system. It produced a very comprehensive report enabling us to accurately assess the current IT situation. This extensive, time consuming and very costly work was done at no cost to the municipality. I reiterate, that contrary to the vicious rumours and malicious allegations being spread via email and on the internet, the work was done free of charge with no strings attached.
Inter alia it was found that the whole IT system was at a point of imminent melt-down. Drastic measures were required – immediately. There was no time to go to tender to get a service provider to draw up detailed specifications to call for tenders to deal with the problem. The problem needed to be dealt with immediately. On that basis the Municipal Manager obtained a quote from Didata to do what has to be done immediately to keep us going while tender specifications are drafted and the tender process can be followed to appoint a long-term service provider. We are satisfied that what we are paying is in line with industry norms and standards and that the service received so far is necessary and of an excellent standard.
The municipality will shortly be calling for tenders for the implementation of the comprehensive IT system. It is expected that this contract will be awarded towards the middle of this year.
I apologize to Jeremy Ord, Didata and their staff for the totally unwarranted bad publicity they have received from this very small, malicious and destructive element of Plett’s society.
DIMENTION DATA
Please see various articles on this subject elsewhere on our website. It is truly refreshing to see that some of the mainstream media was actually prepared to publish something about this scandal, although the tenor of reporting was extremely meek. JEF cannot help to wonder how the reporting would have differed in both style and substance if Bitou was still governed by the ANC. Still we are happy to note that at least the true facts were published. The Mayor probably wishes that he had the benefit of foresight before he published the above ludicrous and bold denials, and made those frivolous remarks about the people who exposed this scandal.
Airport Update
The two best and final offers for the operation of the airport have been presented to our transaction advisor, Mr. Sarel Liebenberg, who will evaluate the final two bids, and our transaction attorney, Mr. Gerhard Botha, who will negotiate and draft the agreement with the final bidder. After their review, they will present the successful bidder to Mayco and Council.
An “open-day” will be held for the public to view the proposal and for the successful bidder to address any concerns and take note of suggestions.
This has been a long process because procedure has been followed exactly, and there are many different interests to consider, such as adjacent land owners and hanger owners. There are several improvements to the airport which will be required of the successful bidder and will have to be negotiated in the lease agreement and service level agreement. We appreciate your patience throughout this process.
AIRPORT
JEF is very happy to see that there is still some time found somewhere between all the investigations, quests to find corruption, rooting out all the “rotten apples”, talking to the media and organizing smear campaigns against individuals who dare to challenge them (enemies of the State), to actually spend on something worthwhile and desperately needed in our town. JEF hopes that the Public Protector will turn a blind eye on all the irregularities in the procurement process on this one or else the whole project will have to start from scratch.
Thanks to our Fire Fighters
I would like to recognize our Station Officer, Fire & Rescue, Hedley Venter and his firefighting team for their quick containment of a vegetation fire in Uplands on 10 January. A helicopter with bambi bucket was used to quickly contain the blaze along with the ground crew. Officer Venter would like to remind land owners of the need to create and maintain fire breaks as stipulated in the Veld and Forestry Fire Act to minimize fire risk. Please contact Officer Venter with any questions.
I wish to take this opportunity to appeal to everybody to exercise extreme caution when using fire. Please avoid it if at all possible. Especially in the rural areas, before you burn anything please contact your local FPA or the Bitou Fire Department for guidance.
Once again a very prosperous and happy New Year to everyone.
FIREFIGHTERS
More of this please Mr. Mayor! Please take a leaf out of Mandela’s life and make us all proud again to be residents of the once great town called Plettenberg Bay. JEF quotes Judge Cloete in her judgment delivered in the Brummer case (which you so harshly criticized and rejected, although it was praised and echoed by your own MEC of Local Government, Anton Bredell):
“[96] It seems to me that the time has arrived for all of the Council members to move beyond the in-fighting which is so clearly prevalent and to rather focus on fulfilling in good faith the mandate conferred on them by their electorate, which is to serve their constituents in a manner befitting our constitutional democracy in a spirit of co-operative governance.”
Memory Booysen
Mayor of Plettenberg Bay
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Can this guy not see that he is been used by the Stellenbosch Mafia1 He will definitely find out in due course.
As they say, power corrupts, and once a person becomes power drunk, reality is not real anymore.
No matter right or wrong, it’s fantastic to read both versions back to back and be given more opportunity, as the public, to land on a more well-rounded opinion.
The way I see it is summed up in what Judge Cloete said. The problem is that those in power wants the community to serve them instead of being elected PUBLIC SERVANTS. They are in it for personal gain and for power while they should be serving the people!
Why oh why does the municipality use an American citizen (Ms Debra Kirkhus Nicholson) to write the mayors newsletters???or perhaps its because the speakers (DA councillor Johan Brummer) girlfriend actually write these newsletters on behalf of the speaker and claim its the mayoral newsletter.
How much does she get paid? Oops sorry forgot she was granted BEE status and was given R8000.00 by the Municipality via her boyfriends (the speaker of Bitou, mr Johan Brummer) bank account in December for the lease of her flat for use by Mr Thys Gilliomee who earns R650 000.00 for acting as Chief financial Officer…
Its seems Mr Gilliomee abandoned his failing business for the DA gravy train in Bitou…. It also seems that he still tightly hold on to his “negotiated” illegal perks of his time as a “Consultant.
I’m so confused by this Thys Gilliomee characters presence in Plett…he arrived in Plett claiming he was sent by the Premiers Office. The Premier strongly denied she ever had anything to do with this guy (is this why the previous MM had to go??? Because he was known to have asked for proof that the premiers office actually deployed all these characters). He was then appointed as a consultant under his company workplace Law cc and not only negotiated a great rate, but also accommodation, transport, telephones allowances, without following proper procedures as per the municipal finance management Act.
Next I heard he was appointed as Manager Labor Relations at 4 times the salary of the previous incumbent. Aaaah but then Deon Lott left and he couldn’t help himself. He cancelled his appointment as Labor Relations Manager and instead appointed himself as the Acting CFO.
Its evident Mr Gilliomee abandoned his failing business for the DA gravy train in Bitou…. It also seems that he still tightly hold on to his “negotiated” illegal perks of his time as a “Consultant.
Not satisfied with this he appointed himself as judge and jury (on both the specifications committee and Adjudication Committee) both committees overseeing the tender processes.
These guys wrote the PHD manual on corruption.
[WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The poster sent us ’0 which is not a hashcash value.
Eve, you are making some very good points here. I wonder how a non-South African can be considered previously disadvantaged or granted any form of BEE status. This thing with Thys is also very suspect, since we have seen correspondence from the acting MM stating that Mr. Giliomee’s salary is paid by the PGWC (Provincial Goverment of the Western Cape) or in other words by Ms. Zille (being the premier). Yet, she denies all knowledge of this. It is also very clear that a job is being sought or created for thie man, first it was from province as an investigator, then as contractor through his CC (Employlaw), then Labour relations now Acting CFO. I am wondering what qualifies him to be a CFO, but wait, I forgot, he apparently holds no less than 6 degrees! That PHD you’re referring to is probably one of them…
Ratepayers don’t give a shit who is involved in the compilation of Mayoral Newsletters – clearly the DA is able to work as a unified team unlike the African National Criminals who are at war with themselves (remember the old adage ‘when thieves fall out’ – this is now happening). Not a single communication of this nature was ever received by so-called alderman Mvimbi (or the previous mayoral oddity when the rot really started) for the edification and/or information of Bitou’s long-suffering ratepayers. They only read the stuck-record bleating about poverty usually occupying half of the rather comical annual statement from this so-called alderman (doubt if he really knows the true honourific value attached to this very only-English title). And yet under Mvimbi not a single public-works programme was ever implemented. But lots of parties and freebies for the sycophant mob, the incompetent, the bone idle, the fat and ugly and the crooked and the outright criminal – and not to talk about the luxuries Mvimbi indulged in like a little emperor in his palace. And after 16 years of ANC governance in Bitou not a shred of a coherent strategy on Tourism! Shame on you. Little wonder business ventures starting closing down under Mvimbi’s term of office and not just due to the recessionary environment. Any sane person will see that the DA-led Council has inherited a shocking state of affairs – and they face the daunting task of having to fix this mess and of delivering at the same time – so we ratepayers todate salute them. And Mvimbi still seems to throwing all his toys out of his cot after losing the election to the DA-led Council in May 2011. And by the way Mills (he who is always the common denominator with regard to ANC-orchestrated strife and violence), your JEF manifesto looks like Political Science Special 101 for Retards translated from Bucharest University Archives circa 1967 (and Siya’s comical English postings seem stuck at Grade 5 level).
Thanks. Check back often. There are loads of interesting things happening here.
Who’s this Thys?can somebody tell who’s this guy,he came to our Municipality using the back door and in no time he’s in total control of this municipality-I mean he’s calling the shots,responsible for hiring and firing.Who hired him? or should I say-how was he hired?This guy is fake and is only here to implment the witch hunting of anyone associated with the ANC in this municipality.oops how can I forget that others are used as bait to ploy against other employees-if you don’t believe me watch this space…lot of employees wilol be falsely accused.
We must just stop talking and moaning, we must bring this corruption of the DA to the attention of the the law enforcement agencies. Ek is nou gatvol! Let’s do the affidavits specifically from the comrades who have been working at Bitou. I am available to do the drafts.
Terrence, you must have spent too much time in the company of spiteful and nasty playground school-girls at primary school – this shows up in your emotional age which seems stuck at about 17. Nevertheless, try answer this: In May last year the Ratepayers Association in an open letter to then so-called alderman Mvimbi asked why Bitou ratepayers were paying on average 53 % and 69 % for Waste Removal and Sewerage respectively compared to Oudtshoorn, Mossel Bay, Knysna and George. (The actual figures are 92 %, 48 %, 55 % and 16 % more iro Waste Removal and 108 %, 37 %, 80 % and 50 % more iro Sewerage respectively for Oudtshoorn, Mossel Bay, Knysna and George. ) Mvimbi ignored this letter and no reply was ever received for the education of ratepayers. (Perhaps because after May he spent a lot of effort throwing all his toys out of his cot – still ongoing it seems in a fit of pique for losing the election. He did not seem concerned either that after 16 years of the ANC stuffing up Plettenberg Bay to such an extent this town was was in the advanced stages of becoming a Butterworth-by-the-Sea.) He must know the facts and figures because I understand he has served (this word is only used euphemistically in his case) on the Eden Council. And he is back there again, probably wasting money, I believe. His silence on the matter begs the question of just how much of ratepayers money was utilized to fund his lavish lifestyle. Also how much was syphoned off to fill Mills’ pockets I wonder.
And I wonder how much is currently syphoned off to fill your pocket? If you are so certain about your facts please go to the nearest police station and lay criminal charges. The fact of the matter is that your DA is cuurently involved in corruption and we had reported same to the authorities. No amount of personal insults will prevent us from exposing your DA mafia in Bitou and anywhere else in this country. We are well aware of your strategy to isolate and destroy Hardy Mills before the end of March, but you are mistaken. You can hide behind your “Tony Cain” but you have exposed yourself for the coward that you are. Aluta continua!
That is my real name and I am not a DA member – just a ratepayer sick of the African National Criminals and the cheap propaganda of sycophantic brainless arseholes like yourself. And expletives are a wonderful foil for the violence continually being perpetrated by the ANC and their rent-a-mobs. (Where Mills is always the common denominator.) You really need to go and have your brain (or maybe by reversal the bottom hole) checked out by a psychologist as you appear to be suffering from anal retentiveness as well as being plain immature. On that score you should ask Mugabe if you could be one of his long-distance cheerleaders. On the question of cowards I note that you don’t seem to know who you are – TERRENCE or TERENCE (or you can’t spell properly) – probably not your real name methinks – and hiding behind an assumed name?
Tony, JEF is non-partisan and is willing to take on any one in the Garden Route who is perpetuating injustice and inequality. You are welcome to supply us with any proof of such corruption and/or injustice and we will gladly fight that battle on your behalf provided that there is sufficient proof.
WOW! According to Tony this Mills character must be one hugely powerful and influential person, ALWAYS being the common denominator in all the violence and the ANC rent-a-mob! Sounds like some mythical creature who is omnipresent. Maybe Tony is just very threatened by Mills since it seems like he is continually attempting to discredit the guy? Lesson form marketing 101 class: the worst possible way of promoting oneself is by trying to discredit your opponent. Learn it, love it, live it!
I always have to smile at people who does not discuss topics on blogs but instead chooses to attack people. Name calling show a huge lack of maturity and the ability to think and formulate an coherent intelligent argument. Having to use crass language and swear words also reveals quite a lot about one’s character.
Tony has not offered anything to counter the facts mentioned by JEF on this website. Why not? Sure, it is possible that things were bad before, but that is not in question here. How long will people blindly and religiously follow the hole DA in the mistaken belief that they are honest? Tony, sir, please stop looking into what the pevious municipality did wrong and tell me how are the ratepayers ANY better off now?
” Tony” get a life you must be a very angry person who lost out when the ANC was in control in Bitou!
Yes an angry ratepayer (amongst thousands who came out of the woodwork last year and made their crosses) who has seen funds being syphoned off for 16 years into the pockets of the ANC clique. Example: Lots of wasteful overseas trips – but no tourism strategy ever formulated by the Wildeman/so-called alderman Mvimbi administrations. Another example: What has happened to the funds subvented by the twinned Belgian town to the ANC Council prior to May 2011 for signage? Where are the signs? Where are the funds? And thanks for actually admitting that I “lost” (your quote) ratepayer funds to the ANC – now it is on record TERRENCE or TERENCE whoever you really are? You are the real coward mister.
Oh shame! and what did you do about it (corruption) did you report it? You just a prig who regards everything associated with the ANC as been corrupt but closes his eyes to the corruption, theft and maladministration of the DA! Go to a hike to Australia!
And by the way “Tony” I can spel my name any way I like! I do not need a prig like you to tell me what my name is. Get a life you conceited self satisfied fool.