Dewa Mavhinga, as the Southern African Director of Human Rights Watch, will you stand for me against the corrupt? Will you be the first NGO to show no favouritism to the Democratic Alliance (DA)?

I hate adding this but it’s uncomfortable fact that the two things most ‘justice NGOs’ in South Africa have in common are similar ‘liberal’ funders and their refusal to defend me against the fake liberal DA. Together, they result in third common denominator – hypocrisy.

For the belief in human rights to exist, there has to be one set of standards. Human rights shouldn’t be open to interpretation, especially when the corruption I’m challenged by affects South Africa. If Human Rights Watch helps me, it helps a lot of people.

For those who know this fight and stand against corruption, please contact Dewa through Mavhind@hrw.org. Ask him for help. If you’ve been intimidated for being my subscriber, share your story with him.

It’s Day #25 of my hunger strike but this request was sent to Mavhinga 2 days ago, on June 7.

HELP: I’LL BE ARRESTED FOR EXPOSING CORRUPTION

I’m Michael James Hampton – SA ID 720420 5235 089. I urgently seek your assistance. Allegedly, there are 6 warrants of arrest out for me, and it was implied that I could be assassinated.

I’m an activist who recently released the book ‘Same Shit, Different Government’. It’s the first about DA corruption. Unfortunately for me, the DA has powerful friends, and has even been protected by the ANC.

I have a solid track record exposing corruption in Knysna. The trail links to the DA’s leadership.

The DA’s response was to vilify me through propaganda campaigns. They went so dark as to associate me with child abuse, and create a fake psychiatric diagnosis of me as a sociopath and danger to children. They repeatedly took me to court to silence me. Overseas, this swamp legal tactic is called SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation). South Africa doesn’t possess anti-SLAPP laws.

Although the Protection from Harassment Act is not supposed to be used as a gag order, and contains the clear defence of “in the public interest”, I was slaughtered by biased courts that never allowed me evidence and witnesses. One even refused my affidavit so as to find me guilty (because without an affidavit, there could be no reference to my evidence). Either I’m not provided written judgement or it excludes the DA.

National Government has either led me on an endless dance to nowhere the past 8-and-a-half years or it has sought to damage me too. On my complaint, there’s been 3 hearings in Parliament yet remains unfinished after 4 years. This week, it was announced that the researcher into my complaint has joined the DA’s shadow cabinet.

The Western Cape Public Protector blatantly whitewashed their report. Their boss got a job in Premier Helen Zille’s office. Busisiwe Mkhwebane has failed to respond to my 68-page complaint against corruption in her department. It’s possible that Oupa Segalwe, whom plays various roles, has blocked my complaint from reaching her.

The same time, the Western Cape Hawks whitewashed their report. To do so, Colonel Piet Bergh and his team simply ignored most of my evidence and never requested more info from those I directed them too. The little that was sent for further investigation was ignored thereafter.

SALGA went out of their way to appear unannounced to the Knysna Council (but arranged by the DA), to state that they’d give support to making me a test case for local government suing a citizen. When I pointed out, with evidence, to CEO Xolile George that he was supporting criminals, he twice threatened to sue me directly.

Helen Zille, Alan Winde and Anton Bredell threatened to sue me too.

The Presidency has long blocked me, and will not provide me details about a meeting regarding me. Eventually it referred me to COGTA Minister Zweli Mkhize whom they would have known would only have been able to handle an aspect of the complaint. But not even that happened – nothing happened.

7 months later, in reaction to a complaint from my sister in the UK, the Presidency referred my matter to IPID and Ministry Justice. IPID Head Investigations Mathews Sesoko told me telephonically that he’d act but he and his assistant have since become unresponsive. The Ministry Justice said that it was too wide-ranging, referring it back to the Presidency for further instruction which has not been forthcoming.

Despite internal government investigations having proven me right on several major matters, I remain persecuted whereas some of the the villains have been promoted e.g. the De Swardt Vogel Myambo report, which the Hawks have, recommended that ex-Knysna Mayor Eleanore Spies be criminally charged for fraud and theft of funds (the latter used to pay personal lawyers to threaten me me, an obvious response to me exposing her and her husband’s crimes). This week, the DA responded by promoting her to the National Assembly.

I told the Presidency that if they continued to fail to act, I would write a book. And that if that failed to draw attention I would go on hunger strike. I’ve been true to my word. They’ve continued their failure.

I finished the book in Namibia. To deliver it, I had to break all the court orders silencing me. I understood the risk I was taking. I acknowledged that in the book. But I’m a firm believer that if no one pushes back, the bad people will take almost everything that matters.

The High Court ordered that the book could not be published, that my website must be taken down and the Sheriff arrest me. That deepened the bias I’d experienced for years. The Court never had a copy of the book or website, and a Sheriff doesn’t have the power to arrest. Nevertheless, for not appearing (whilst I was in Namibia), I expect I’m being held in contempt. Furthermore, to ensure the truth was free, I made the book available at no cost online (1037 downloads at this time, ensuring I will go to jail).

Allegedly, there are another 5 warrants for broken protection orders issued through the lower court (likely for ex-DA Mayor Eleanore Spies, ex-DA Councillor Dr. Martin Young, DA Advocate Julie Seton, Knysna Fire Chief Wayne Sternsdorf, the fifth unknown).

All the people awarded that relief are corrupt, and most involved in that nasty propaganda campaign against me. The local ringleader is Advocate Julie Seton, a DA candidate whose married to the ex-Knysna

DA Deputy Mayor Esme Jefferys (whom the court ordered my book banned for).

The DA Federal Executive is well aware of the situation, and thus implicated under PRECCA.

MEC Bredell and Premier Winde are implicated more directly through fraud and maladministration. Bredell’s guilt is emphasised through his perjuries, on video, to the Western Cape Legislature. Zille, after she met me, is additionally implicated for allowing crooks to become councillors.

On April 20, an overkill of 5 (SAPS/Metro/Sheriff) people wanted to serve and arrest me at my father’s house in Durban. And they wanted my laptop. Metro cop Miles Mowat was there in the capacity as a Private Investigator for Seton and Edge. I doubt it’s legal for him to have a job outside the Government, nor be supported by the SAPS and Sheriff, and especially not take the lead. He scared my father, said that people in the UK had been contracted to track my laptop, and implied I could be assassinated by the politicians. That’s a lot of effort for me who has no criminal record or history of violence. It seems that truthseekers are a menace to the shadow society that our Government wants.

I returned from Namibia on May 31. Before arriving, I made many appeals for the Presidency to investigate, the NPA to provide me protection, and Minister Police Bheki Cele to arrest me. I asked for the latter because it would provide safety and hopefully force investigation. I was ignored.

This week, Advocate Seton contacted conman and spammer Jaco Dercksen. I’d warned people about him in 2013, and he seems to have a score to want to settle. He responded to Seton by illegally posting my father’s address on the internet, saying cops were on the way. They were which begs more questions to Seton.

I don’t know what happened because my father refused to tell my sister lest she tell me i.e. the cops/PI were upset at my blog about their first visit and must’ve scared him into silence the second time. My Dad takes heart medication – I may never be able to go home. That’ll be the second home I’ve lost because, before that, I had to leave Knysna where there was also only threat from wicked politicians and police.

I’m on Day #23 of a Hunger Strike against Corruption. I’ve had juice but no sold food during that time. I may have the odd dizzy moment, and must avoid walking for even short periods of time, but I’m doing far better than I expected. My mind is especially humming but has become scarily sensitive to noises, expecting crooked cops at my latest door. I can’t predict my health but I’m hoping to last until month end.

I’m going to continue to try get myself arrested by the leaders of the SAPS. Failing that, when I get too weak to function, I will have a taxi drop me off at a police station or a prison with a hospital.

I refuse to bow to the corrupt people eating our country. I’m especially disappointed that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s become another fake anti-corruption fighter. South Africa deserves better than well-paid bullshitters.

My authenticity will be verified by the information on my website. View my affidavit the Hawks, complaint to the Public Protector and the media section. Download my book in audio or as pdf.

I contact you and Human Rights Watch because I desperately need allies, someone who believes in a better world. Someone who believes in my right to human rights.

Please will you keep track of me through whatever happens. Be my safety demander and conduit to higher government. Other advice will be appreciated.

I’m willing to die for my cause but I’d much prefer not to. Help keep me alive.

Mike Hampton
themikehampton.com
Pretty town: loveknysna.com

NOTES

• An accompanying email to Dewa Mavhinga included links to my book, affidavits to the Hawks, and complaint to the Public Protector.

“The new crop of leaders across Southern Africa should recognize that their citizens are expecting genuine improvements in human rights. The people of Southern Africa, like people everywhere, should fully enjoy the basic rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in international law.”
– Dewa Mavhinga (Southern African Director of Human Rights Watch)

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