Tackling tough issues dead-on makes me controversial and fuels critics who believe i should be more respectful (respect isn’t a gift, it’s earned) and that there are better ways to do things (even though they don’t do so themselves).

Susan Campbell, however, with her passion for environmental law and her love of Knysna, is respected in most corners of thinking Knysna, even respected by a number of our politicians. On the rare moments when she contributes to this blog or the local newspapers, i’m greatly appreciative that another voice is out there. The more voices, the more sides to a story, the more the public gets to make up its own mind.

As our resident expert on the ISDF (Integrated Strategic Development Framework), the plan for Knysna’s future (and thus yours and my lives), she was the first person i contacted after reading the ridiculous ISDF report that is going to appear on the agenda at the Mayoral Committee tomorrow. I labelled it as a “whitewash” (a cover-up). Campbell was not only in agreement but very angry too. I received this letter from her an hour ago:

“Mike, the findings that you have included in your blog are contained in a letter from Minister Anton Bredell to Mayor Georlene Wolmarans, dated 20 November 2014. The letter includes a summary of the findings of the investigating team.

For reasons best known to her, the Mayor has decided to annex only the letter from Bredell, rather than the full report, to the agenda for the meeting of the Mayoral Committee scheduled for 19 February 2015. Considering that the letter was sent on the 25th of November 2014 and it refers to “a report which is attached for your consideration”, we have to assume that the Mayor is in possession of the report.

The question is why the full report has not been shared with the public and the Councillors, who are expected to support the RECOMMENDATION OF THE EXECUTIVE MAYOR which is,

“…that the Provincial Government has found the process … to be compliant with SCM [Supply Chain Management] prescripts and regulations and that any deficiencies in the process did not influence the outcome of the procurement process.”

I agree with you that Minster Bredell and his team have dismally failed at their whitewash attempt.

The finding in 1.7 below contradicts the conclusion that the “deficiencies” did not influence the outcome of the process.

A tender has to be awarded to the highest scoring bidder unless it is reasonable and justifiable not to do so. These so-called “objective criteria” or reasons have to be included in the minutes of the BAC meeting in sufficient detail that a court of law can understand why the tender was not awarded to the highest scoring bidder. The finding in 1.7 means that this was not done. No valid reasons or “objective criteria” were provided by the municipality to justify the award the of tender to the second highest scoring bidder. City Think Space tendered the lowest price and scored the highest points. The ISDF contract should have been awarded to them, yet it was awarded the Knysna Creative Heads Consortium led by CMAI, Chris Mulder’s company.

THE TENDER WAS THEREFORE UNLAWFULLY AWARDED TO THE WRONG TENDERER.

How Minister Bredell and the Mayor can expect us to accept that awarding the tender to the wrong party did not affect the outcome of the process is beyond comprehension!

Susan Campbell“