Press Release:
Over the past two months there have been numerous unfounded rumours, simple gossip and also downright untruths regarding my dismissal from the DA and Bitou Council. The time has now come to set the record straight.
After 12 years of service to the DA and this town I was purged from the DA on the pretext that I owed the party R5 621 in arrear candidates fees from the last election. The truth, however, is that I did not owe the DA a cent in candidates fees or anything else. The records show, unequivocally, that the DA owed me money at the time of my dismissal.
The real reasons for my summary dismissal from the DA relate to irregularities within the DA structures in Plettenberg Bay and the Bitou Council on which I blew the whistle. I refused to turn a blind eye to them and refused to be part of the cover-up of actions which will potentially cost the people of Plett millions.
I immediately submitted detailed reports supported by documentary evidence to the DA party structures and the relevant DA Provincial Ministers and the party leader, Helen Zille. Their ONLY action to date has been to dismiss me from the party.
I am informed that Liz Mundell has stated that I was going to be dismissed on disciplinary charges anyway. The DA has never brought disciplinary charges against me, nor have they ever had reason to. For her to claim otherwise is in direct conflict with the DA’s own affidavit submitted to court.
Liz also informed the DA meeting (on 15 October) that I have been “conducting a vendetta of revenge against those who fired him” (me) Again this is not true. I am taking legal action against the DA. The DA has caused personal and financial damage to me and I have all the right in the world to bring an action against it. According to the sworn affidavit from the DA, nobody fired me from the DA, it was an “automatic cessation of membership”, triggered by my alleged non-payment of candidate’s fees. How Liz can claim I am waging a vendetta against those who fired me is again in direct conflict with the DA’s own oath submission to court.
In the interests of brevity I will not go into any detail on any of these issues here, but I am willing to allow anybody who is interested access to all supporting documentation. I will also present the documentary proof at the “Primary” debate to be held @5:30 on 23 October in the Piesang Valley Hall.
I wish to confirm that I will be contesting the vacancy in ward 2 occasioned by the sudden and unexpected passing of Charles Dreyer, as an independent candidate and am not associated in any way with any political party, or any other interest group.
I also wish to set the record straight with regard to the false rumours being spread in this regard, as follows:
- I am not associated in any way with Mr Hardy Mills. Mills has always been a fervent ANC supporter and vehemently opposed to me. He is in fact closely associated with the other independent candidate, Francois Geldenhuys.
- Should the people of ward 2 elect me to council, I will continue to serve the people of Plett as I have done in the past.
- I will work with those other councillors who are also serious about bringing good, clean, efficient and transparent governance to our municipality.
- I will continue to root out maladministration, unlawfulness and corruption and will not, under any circumstances be a part of cover-ups or misinformation by any political party or person.
- My record shows that I have been subjected to abuse and victimisation by both the ANC and DA for speaking truth to power and putting the welfare of the town and its people first. I have never compromised on that and I never will. What I do on council will be to the benefit of the town and its people and will not be influenced by any other considerations or affiliations.
- It is highly unlikely that either the ANC or the DA will want to enter into a coalition with a councillor who stands for what I do. It is therefore a blatant untruth that I have already come to an agreement with anybody, least of all the ANC.
Johann Brummer
jwbrummer@gmail.com
Well done Johan! Glad to see you fininally started reading JEF – a source of information of DA corruption for over a year now!!!
I will now watch this space with great interest and see if JB can fight a fair and a just fight without resorting to personal attacks like he is already doing in this article.Don’t play the man play the ball.
I categorically want to state that if a man is a friend of someone it does not mean that the individual is necessarily sharing the same values and philosophical ideas of his friend. I for instance support affirmative action, but I dont know if Francois is sharing the same views on this on this issue.
Therefore the fact that Hardy is a friend of Francois does not mean that he becomes ANC automatically, I would not be surprise knowing Francois if he voted ACDP in the last election
Francois Geldenhuys is his own man! He is principled, has integrity and I believe wil be able to bring balance to Council and of course he will be ” a breath of fresh air”. This DA candidate will just be supporting and driving whatever Donald Grant will be instructing him to do. Political parties must disappear from the local government sphere fullstop! This bullshit between the ANC and DA will not bring real change to the people who are longing for proper municipal services. Communities must decide who they want to stand as candidate and hold him/her accountable. There should be social contract between the councillor and his ward and I fully agree with the recall-mechanism and this should form part of the social contract.
Is there really nothing else you can do Mr Brummer?
Terence. We also have to ask our political leader Mr Grant to tell us what to do. Why did he enter politics? To ensure a pension or to assist all of us in Bitou? We all need guidance where to go. Do we follow the (Bitou) DA that has, and is, letting us down? Do we believe our Provincial DA leaders? If “YES” why is Bredell allowed to screw most of us? Could an Independent currently save Bitou (And the DA) and can Mr Grant give us in Bitou a honest answer direct from the heart.
Lol. I agree that Donald should give all of us in Bitou Political guidence. Donald, make a statement. Give us all the facts as you know them, be honest and straight. This is the time to show leadership. We are all waiting.
To be honest, I’m not surprised by the combatant Johan Brummer. If it is true that he was removed from being a councillor because of disputed R5 621 then the DA is worse than I thought.
There was a time when Brummer was supposed to have been expelled from the council, but the DA protected him for he was very useful in their fight, which was mainly based on lies, against the then governing ANC.
If truth be told, Brummer almost single-handedly put the DA in power in Bitou. From where I am standing he did that based on a morally flawed principle, but politics are mainly run on morals of convenience. There are rumours that because of his sterling work that catapulted the DA into power, he became disruptive. But surely there should have been better reasons to expel him than use that flimsy reason.
Seems the DA is now busying itself with internal fights instead of governing the town, including laying criminal charges against the former ANC councillors and many officials who we were told were corrupt to the core.
I never drank from the same cup with Brummer. I think from being political opponents we became sworn enemies. But I wish him well in his bid to be elected as an independent councillor. Maybe the presence of such a councillor will help stabilise politics in the council as the ascension to power by the DA brought nothing but fear and loathing in the municipality.
Wicked Mike,Marius Murths,Terence,JEF and Johan Brummer I hope you will also challenge Johan Brummer to provide proof on the allegations he is making in the above article otherwise you must all stop making bias judgement like u started accusing me of making lies and unsubstantiated accusation on the previous article of LOCAL POLITICS RE-INVENTED .
You all know Johan is used to making allegations and accusations of corruption without any proof.So please stop being bias in your comments.
I’m not bias. If you’ve read my site, you’ll have seen that i put a lot of thought into my criticisms. It’s simple: if you have proof of how you say Brummer stole the elections, simply provide it. I’m always interested in information.
Note that i’ve criticized Brummer before. I also have my doubts about ex ANC, COPE or DA members crossing floors or becoming Independents but the unlikely change of situation in Plett is fascinating and worth second thoughts. And, by the way, although i have never met Johann Brummer, i did contact him via email regards this and he’s already volunteered his balance sheet to prove that he got shafted by the DA. So i’m willing to let the courts have a chance to decide. I may even interview him.
I am an independent thinker. I don’t have much use for politicians in the current climate as all they have done so far is fuck up our towns. But the current system is not going to just be swept away so all i can do is hope that the rotten DA and ANC councils on the Garden Route do get rocked as hard as possible by independent candidates. Regards Plett, i don’t know enough to judge either man so any one will do. And i hope that the ANC will butt out, realizing that giving the independents a chance will be better for them than if they ran someone (who would lose) and possibly chase voters into the DA’s arms.
And be good enough to use your real name or company.
That applies to all the pseudonymous commentators here. I find it quite surprising that the only commentators man enough to share their identity were ANC politicians. Quite refreshing considering the state of South African forums.
PS: Before you say it, i am known by my nickname which leads to many websites, my history and my name. My nickname has become my brand.
But you forgot that after a year of intense investigations Brummer did provide proof of the corruption remember, the 69 Springbok shooterkies!
I do not know whether Mr. Geldenhuys has any experience in local politics, or any experience or inside insights in the Bitou Municipality’s past (sordid as it seems to be). Which in my mind makes him the better candidate.
Mr. Brummer might be a bit too close to everything to be able to retain an objective view. He was also, in my opinion way too involved in much of the sordid past of Bitou. My concern is that Mr. Brummer has too many (personal) axes to grind with both the ANC and now with the DA to remain focused on delivering service to the voters. If he was to be entrusted with the “swing” vote in Plett, I am afraid the voters will be giving huge power to a man who has shown his willingness to abuse that power for his own personal vendetta’s, as was clear from his actions during his short stint as speaker. It is said, a leopard does not change its spots!
Well said Wicked Mike. May the best man win on the 5th! The people will speak out on that day and the winner will be that man, finish and klaar!
Yep…or, at the very least, there’ll be another episode in the soap series Politics for the Politicians.
Wicked Mike i m very disappointed at your emotional generalised response without any substance and at your negative reception to critism no wonder u were defending brummer cos he is like that.Its a normal practice in any blog that pseudo name are used and allowed and why do u insist on people to reveal themselves i dont know only God knows.
U know very well that brummer has been making accusations and allegations even before he was aconcillor and you never challenged or questioned him like you are doing to me.If you dont want to abide by the rules of the blog stay out of it and in a blog people are severely critised and the onus is on them to explain and defend themselves
It’s obvious that you’re not here to provide information. You’re only here to cause trouble so i won’t give you more of the attention you seek. It’s anonymous cowards that are helping to destroy our country. More people with integrity and bravery are needed if South Africa is to stand a chance.
Let the best man win! I agree with you Hardy and Mike. Lets see how objective my fellow ward residents will be. The next month with will be interesting and there might be a few surprises!
Sheep are Sheep, they follow blindly and don’t think. Ward 2 is full of Sheep, white, old and unsure (Like sheep, always looking for a way to die!)
lol, Donald cannot advice as computer will just terminate him. You think you are safe in the DA, but you are not. Bloody computers! Ask Brummer.
Do we run Bitou like a business? Profits are always “King” so cut all unnesesary expenses in the name of “Profit and shareholders”. The poor? Retrench, they don’t contribute so don’t care about them. So where are we going in Bitou? Any solid suggestions before we vote!
*clearing my throat* Brummer must come clean on the black on black violence Alan Winde, Donald Grant and himself orchestrated. He must come clean on the R8000.00 rent paid into his account for Thys Gilliomee’s babysitting of his American girlfriends flat (he sommer gave her BBEE status). Brummer must come clean on the appointment of Scorp Security who was appointed under his watch. Scorp was not registered under the securities unbrella body, was not vat registered, did not have a tax clearance certificate, most so called body guards didn’t have grades and continue not to have grades. Scorp was last appointed by the DA to check all the streetlights in Plett….under Brummer people in town saw an increase of 300% in their water and lights accounts. a pensioner couple’s account went from R1049.00 to R4000.00 in three months. Under Brummer Didata was given contracts without following municipal procedures. Under Brummer any integrity, honesty and respect in politics went down the sewer he built single handedly. I hope the voters of ward two will think very carefully. My grand mother always said a man with nothing to lose should not be trusted. Does Brummer have kids???NO, A dog? NO. A wife ?NO, a House? NO. Is Brummer a Plett. Ratepayer? NO. What does he have to lose?
Dear Wooden Spoon. You’ve raised some goods points which every person should take in consideration when voting. I will write an article for JEF during the course of the weekend on how exactly a “swing vote” works and what does a “balance of power” really mean in the context of Bitou. I will also explain how it will practically work in future should an independent win the by-election. I agree that the manner in which Brummer was “fired” by “the computer” is against the rules of natural justice, against the spirit of our country’s constitution and probably done in very poor taste considering that he single handily brought the DA into power in Plett. He is a seasoned politician and anyone who does not take him seriously in this by-election is a fool. Whether it was wise of him to take the DA’s decision to expel him on review is another question. All political parties exercise strict control over their councilors in this manner. If a political party does not want you any longer they can and will expel you. Normally the councilor accepts the fact that he is not welcome there anymore. If you challenge them in court, no matter how ridiculous and unfair you were treated, you really do not stand change. Only an extremely lenient and sympathetic judge will come to the expelled councilor’s assistance. Unfortunately for Brummer he didn’t have such a judge that day.
Normally the councilor accepts the fact that he is not welcome there anymore.
Hardy!!!!! Democraty is not controlled by some “Face” in an office “Far Away”.
We fought for many years to be free. And I mean FREE from faceless bureaucrats who think that they are in control. Germany went that way after WW1, Europe is heading again in that direction and look at what is happening in Greece, Spain, Italie etc. look at the opionion polls in Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands etc. look at the Middle East and many other parts of the World. People are taking control and real Councilors, representing the people and not his/her political masters will be the norm in the future. What is happening in Bitou is happening all over the world. Freedom means FREEDOM.
Will Bitou Ward 2 follow the World trend????????? I wish this by-election was in The Grags, there they know/understand and feel what is happening in Bitou.
Donald, you are our Political Guru! We are all looking for your guidance. Where do we go? Can we trust the DA? Do we just follow or do we think!
Where do we go?
Independent. Forget an answer from our Political leader. To busy and he does not read OO. You in Ward 2 are all on your own as the new (possible) DA Councillor is toooo busy to attend meetings and meet his “Voters”. What!!!! I thought Ward 2 was a “SAFE DA SEAT”. “You mean I actually have to do some work, apart from raising my arm when told to do so!”
Dear Wooden Spoon. We need to remove the bureaucratic and political red tape. The more the political parties regulate their councillors, the more you they provide room for corruption. We need to remove political structures in toto from municipalities. Local government is currently not working and is in distress. There are many failures and weaknesses. If Ward 2 is won by an independent it will propel municipalities towards the ideal state as envisaged in the RDP and White Paper on Local Government (1988) and subsequent legislation eg. the Local Government Act. Innovative approaches and drastic actions are desperately needed to improve the state of municipalities all over the country. The Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations Systems needs to be reviewed. The two tier model of Local Government; and the review of local government legislation and introduction of new and innovative reform legislation in order to depoliticize municipalities are necessary. The ANC and the DA had their chances, now it’s someone else’s chance to give it a shot. All those countries you mentioned had a definite and defining moment when their reform and healing started; our country’s moment will come on 5 December 2012, in Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape.