Dear Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, this is the full FIFTH COMPLAINT of corruption as submitted to the Eden District office of the Public Protector. It involves what appears to be the illegal appointment of Dawie Adonis as Director Community Services for the Knysna Municipality. If this is true, it must be considered that the position was deliberately filled illegally. If so, to what end?

With bonus, Adonis is earning approximately R1.2-million per year. He only has a Matric.

The Democratic Alliance has refused to respond. There seems to be retaliation against me via a court case launched by one of Adonis’ subordinates for which he has signed a confirmatory affidavit (as opposed to fully investigating the employee, a manager, who may have hid his background when being hired). An ex-DA candidate has signed one too.

That court case is ongoing with me temporarily gagged. Consequently, i have had to alter parts so as to make this document available for public consumption…

I, the undersigned,

MICHAEL JAMES HAMPTON

State under oath, in English, that:

1.

I am an adult male of 44 years of age and a resident of Knysna, contactable through mike@loveknysna.com. As I’m an activist and citizen journalist with enemies, further contact details and proof of identity will be provided directly to the Public Protector.

2.

I operate online as Love Knysna and Knysna Keep. My political writing is the most well read and known in the area.

3.

The facts contained herein, save where indicated otherwise, are within my own personal knowledge and are to the best of my knowledge and belief both true and correct.

ALLEGATION

4.

A reliable confidential informant told me that Dawie Adonis doesn’t possess the relevant competencies required for his position as Director Community Services for the Knysna Municipality. He earns an annual package valued at approximately R1-million.

5.

His position requires an NQF7 (an Honours Degree). He only has an NQF5 (Matric).

QUESTIONS/INFO NEEDED

6.

Did any of the other interview candidates have [the necessary] NFQ7?

7.

Dawie Adonis

Who was the staff member providing secretarial services during the selection process and the interviews? Where is his/hers Declaration of Confidentiality.

8.

Provide a copy of the report wherein the validity of the candidate’s qualifications was determined.

9.

Quoting from the MFMA, within 14 days of the decision referred to in subregulation (2), a written report has to be submitted to the MEC for local government regarding the appointment process and outcome. The report contemplated in subregulation (3)(b) must contain – proof of qualifications. Provide a copy of that report.

10.

Provide the minutes for the Council Meeting at which Adonis was appointed as Director.

11.

How did Councillors vote on the matter?

12.

Why did Mayor Georlene Wolmarans (now Speaker) approve the recommendation from then Municipal Manager Lauren Waring?

13.

Provide a copy of Wolmarans written report on the outcome of the screening process (it has to be compiled by the Mayor).

14.

Who in the Western Province government signed off on Adonis’ appointment? [Was it MEC Anton Bredell?]

BROADER INVESTIGATION

15.

This is the second known illegal appointment by ex-Municipal Manager Lauren Waring. The first was Grant Easton, appointed as Chief Financial Officer without having an accountancy degree.

16.

Emphasising the seriousness of the matter, if Easton had never been CFO he’d never have become a suspended Municipal Manager (MM) under investigation for other reasons. His appointment as MM is further questionable in that the job advertised the knowledge of two languages as a prerequisite yet he only has one.

17.

The problem with illegal appointments is that such staff can be held ransom to the agendas of those above them. In some cases, it can be considered cronyism.

18.

What has the Knysna Municipality done to check all staff’s NFQ levels?

MY INQUIRIES

19.

I have contacted the following Knysna councillors and municipal officials to no answer [DA01 -> DA06]:

• Mayor Eleonore-Bouw Spies (DA)

• Speaker Georlene Wolmarans (DA)

• Deputy Mayor Peter Myers (DA)

• Councillor Mark Willemse (DA)

• Councillor Elrick van Aswegen (COPE)

• Councillor Shakespeare Arends (ACDP)

• Acting Municipal Manager Carl Mattheus

• Director Community Services Dawie Adonis

• Director Corporate Services Bevan Ellman

• Legal Adviser Melony Paulsen

• Communications Manager Christopher Bezuidenhout

• Communications Manager contractor Fran Kirsten

20.

Mayor Eleonore Spies, Deputy Mayor Peter Myers & Speaker Georlene Wolmarans will not respond

The matter was not presented at the Section 80 Governance meeting held September 20 2016 (as headed by Deputy Mayor Meyers who is aware of the issue) or at the Section 80 Community Services Meeting held September 27 2016. It is not listed on the Special Council Meeting agenda for September 29 [Update: and has not appeared in the 4 months since].

21.

For years, the illegitimacy of Grant Easton as CFO has never been addressed.

22.

As further example of Knysna Municipality’s unwillingness to communicate, my request to Director Adonis and Municipal Manager Easton regarding the questionable appointment of [name removed due to ongoing court case] unanswered since March 2016 [DA07]. Instead, Director Adonis signed a confirmatory affidavit in support of the employee’s attempt to stop my investigation. I consider his action intimidation and against the public interest. I’ve had many similar actions against me by the DA and their associates. Consequently, it’s no surprise that despite contacting all 21 councillors and many municipal officials, none will reply to me in that matter.

23.

The seriousness of the Adonis issue is emphasised by the current Administration crisis:

• Director Planning quit

• Director Finance quit

• Budget Manager suspended

• Municipal Manager suspended

• The Acting Manager Finance is unqualified.

• The Acting Municipal Manager is unqualified [Update – since replaced by another Acting Manager Finance]
  

• [Update: Director Corporate Services quit]

CONCLUSION

24.

There has been repeated failure of oversight by Council.

25.

The simple request for Director Community Services Dawie Adonis qualification would likely bring the matter to the Council table.

26.

Requesting the other info would hopefully bring a much broader problem to light and accountability.

Busisiwe Mkhwebane, yours in hope of investigation leading to correction,

Michael Hampton