Fraud, theft, threat, illegal appointments, conspiracy and death… The Democratic Alliance aren’t the good guys, and the ANC is happy to support their crime… Read the guide below or download as a pdf here. Please share.

EASY GUIDE:
ANC SUPPORTED DA CORRUPTION & INTIMIDATION

Michael James Hampton (ID 7204205235089) is an activist on day 84 of a hunger strike against corruption (6 August 2019).

He’s drunk liquids only, mostly carrot juice and tea with soya milk. That approximately 350 calories per day, far less than the 2500 calories he needed when he started. But that and weight he had spare has been sufficient to keep him alive despite him weighing 22kg less than he did 3 months ago.

Hampton’s goal is to battle through 9 years of Government failure to punish political corruption in Knysna that implicates the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) provincial and national leadership. He claims it’s been impossible to get justice because the DA is protected by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s ANC government.

ANC GOVERNMENT FAILURE

1. Despite three hearings, in Parliament (NCOP), Hampton’s Love Knysna Petition remains unfinished after four years. Then Chair Thandi Modise failed to respond to Hampton’s complaint. It’s known as the ‘Love Knysna Petition’ and can be partly referenced via the Parliamentary Monitoring Group website.

2. Hampton is concerned that the NCOP researcher into his complaint recently became a DA member of the National Assembly.

3. Round the same time, the Western Cape Hawks, as represented by Colonel van der Berg, and the George office of the Public Protector, as represented by Senior Investigator Gideon Landman, whitewashed their reports into Hampton’s complaints. They ignored the intimidation Hampton has suffered, forensic reports and Auditor General statements. It was so blatantly done that it could have only been deliberate attempt at furthering the cover-up. Hampton’s complaint to Minister Police Bheki Cele, Hawks Head General Godfrey Lebeya and Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane have been ignored despite their senior staff being aware. The Hawks case number is Cape Town OC 19.07.2018.

4. Hampton is concerned that the Western Cape Manager of the Public Protector got a job in then Premier Zille’s office

5. SALGA’s management wanted to make Hampton a test case for local government suing a citizen, that after the DA invited them to make an unannounced presentation to the Knysna Council. This was extension of Hampton having exposed DA Mayor Eleanore Spies for illegally using taxpayers money to fund her legal threats against Hampton. Notably, DA Speaker Georlene Wolmarans was on SALGA’s provincial committee.

6. SALGA, through an internal lawyer and then Hogan Lovells Attorneys, threatened Hampton directly too.

7. The Presidency eventually but wrongly referred Hampton’s complaint to COGTA Minister Zweli Mkhize who could have dealt with part of it but did nothing despite his assistant stating four time over 5 months that the matter would be urgently brought to Mkhize’s attention.

8. The prequel to that was COGTA Deputy Minister Andries Nel refusing to act. The refusal of assistance (diversion to SIU and the Public Protector) was out of touch with the information sent e.g. COGTA has a mandate regards local government and a racist COGTA employee wanting whites killed was part of the complaint.

9. Later, the Presidency referred to Ministry Justice and IPID. Justice referred it back to the Presidency, claiming it needed guidance because the complaint crossed too many departments.

10. Director President’s Hotline Melisizwe Bleki met with an advocate from the Presidency but she failed to act and Bleki will not follow-up. Bleki also would not reveal what happened in a meeting that the President’s adviser set up.

11. The Magistrates Commission, for no reason, would not act on Hampton’s complaint regarding political favouritism by the court. There have been abnormalities in every case which is meant to silence Hampton e.g. in one case, despite having a 75-page affidavit and approximately 200 pages of evidence, Hampton was refused defence and found guilty in muinutes. The Knysna Magistrates Court has particularly been favourable to the DA.

BAD COPS

1. Hampton fears the police, having a long, negative history with them. They haven’t been fans of his blogging. When cops were searching for Hampton to beat him up, the Knysna Station Commander wouldn’t investigate.

2. When Hampton’s drug dealing neighbour threatened to kill him, and then tried, the police failed to investigate or immediately raid his attacker’s home.

3. Captain Dewald Kitching went on to a DA-run Facebook page to state that Hampton must pack his bags and leave town.

4. The Hawks in the George Cluster twice failed to investigate the ISDF tender fraud and illegal funding of Knysna Tourism. They shut the cases without investigation or sufficient explanation why.

5. Colonel Piet Bergh, the chief analyst for the Western Cape Hawks who whitewashed his report into Hampton’s complaints, is aware that Hampton laid complaint against him. That should have made him keep his distance. Instead, Bergh emailed Hampton to ask him when he would meet a DPCI officer in Durban regarding a fraud case Hampton had laid. Bergh’s email was odd because the investigating officer never contacted, the case was already with the NPA, and it was outside of Bergh’s provincial jurisdiction. Hampton believed that he was been set up for arrest. That seemed true when the SAPS, the Sheriff and the private investigator were at his father’s house days later.

6. Hampton broke the court orders meant to silence him when he published his book ‘Same Shit Different Government: Book 1 – The Corruption & Intimidation’. He did so in the Public interest.

7. Hampton’s afraid to be in custody. Hampton doesn’t want to be in the hands of what he refers to as “bad cops”, afraid of what will happen to him in Durban or Cape Town. Consequently, he has repeatedly appealed to NPA Director Shamila Batohi and Minister Bheki Cele to arrest him because he believes that’s the only chance he has at having his evidence handled appropriately, and his safety being assured. Despite many read receipts from their staff, they haven’t responded.

Hampton’s father, James, whose on heart medication, has been intimidated by police and a private investigator, hired by ex-Knysna DA Deputy Mayor Esme Edge and her life partner ex-DA candidate Advocate Julie Seton. The private eye, Miles Mowat, allegedly implied Michael Hampton could be killed with a ‘hit’ by the politicians and that UK specialists had been contracted to find him through his laptop. What was bizarre about the incident is that the Sheriff called Mowat and the Bellair SAPS yet Hampton’s father said that the Sheriff wasn’t with them, and that he mistook Mowat as an SAPS detective because he took the lead. The following month, Hampton’s father was paid another visit.

9. On 23 July 2019, Hampton met IPID’s Durban Director Charmain van der Sant. She wouldn’t arrange for his arrest as she stated that no one can be arrested without investigation. She referred Hampton’s information to the Durban office of the Public Protector and the national Public Service Commission’s Ethics Committee.

10. On 24 July 2019, Hampton received an email from an old school mate who stated that two SAPS detectives had paid him a visit, tried to intimidate him, and absurdly stated that he was hiding Hampton. He told them to return with a court order. They haven’t.

11. On 2 August 2019, the SAHRC Durban Senior Legal Office, Ms Padayachee contacted Point police station in Durban, emailing Hampton the outcome: “Captain R. E. Naidoo said that the SAPS would not be able to arrest Mr Hampton as per his request. Captain Naidoo was unable to locate any warrant of arrest that has been issued for Mr Hampton.  He was only able to locate a protection order that was granted in Wynberg which Mr Hampton had contravened and advised that this was not sufficient to have him arrested. There is also no case number available for this matter.”

12. The Sheriff’s Office, as represented by Manager Legal & Complaints Reesha Kasipershad Complaints and Investigations Officer Amish Gopie, have refused to answer Hampton’s queries or serve him via email.

As the result of Hampton’s book and subsequent blogging, there’s obviously a court order in the civil matter of Esme Edge versus Hampton, ordering his arrest. However, if there’s no warrant, the situation is made suspicious by unidentified and intimidatory police searching for Hampton, adding to his concern that there are forces wanting his evidence silenced.

DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE

1. Through Hampton’s then attorney Hardy Mills, the DA offered them bribes to not pursue legal action. Mills claimed he’d get R100,000 in monthly business so long as the DA was in power, Hampton would received R20,000 per month. Hampton turned it down and vowed to fight harder. Mills vanished for several years but recently reappeared to defend ex-Knysna DA Mayor Eleanore Spies against the wife of a DA councillor in an opposing faction. Mills lost and Spies was ordered to pay back the money she’d borrowed, but has allegedly failed to comply.

2. The DA initiated a multi-pronged, intimidation attack against Hampton: A. propaganda B. bankruptcy C. intimidate supporters D. court cases E: jailing.

3. A social media propaganda campaign falsely associated Hampton with mental disorder, destruction of the local economy, working for the ANC, child abuse and association with a missing 9-year-old girl, Liyema Baleni. Hampton uncovered that DA councillors and candidates, municipal contractors and their friends were the organisers of the anonymously run pages. Then DA Councillor Dr Martin Young, was one of the main offenders. He who treats ears not psychiatric patients, abused his doctor’s title to compile a fake diagnosis of Hampton as a sociopath and a danger to children. That was used by DA candidate Advocate Julie Seton whom Hampton claims is the ringleader in most of the court cases against him.

4. The social media campaign intimidated locals. Hampton’s hosting business, which was growing, dropped to almost nothing. Hampton had to pause Love Knysna Projects, his educational trips for underprivileged children, because his volunteers declined and he was under a false cloud of paedophilia.

5. Hampton’s subscribers would regularly receive legal threats. Advocate Seton and her life partner, ex-DA Deputy Mayor Esme Edge, are claiming R1-million in damages from Mossel Bay resident Brigit Maritz who shared some of Hampton’s posts and called him a ‘hero’. At one stage, Young threatened to sue 200 of Hampton’s subscribers for R60-million. Ironically some would’ve been citizens in Young’s ward.

6. Young went door to door to Knysna businesses telling them to not deal with Hampton and implied that email to Hampton that they would be damaged if they did. He also asked them to donate money to a kitty to be used to jail Hampton. This was repeated on Facebook.

7. DA candidates, councillors and their propagandist associates took Hampton to court, obtaining numerous protection orders and an interdict he claims were illegal because information in the Public interest is defence he’s been denied. He’s been refused evidence and witnesses, and in one case wasn’t allowed to even present a defence, found guilty in minutes. None of the judgements mention his evidence or the DA which is what his evidence is about. The Protection from Harassment Act is not supposed to be used by politicians to gag citizens.

8. The DA Federal Executive, many MPs and Helen Zille were repeatedly made aware of what was happening. That they never acted can only mean that the nefarious actions had their permission.

9. Zille allowed two of those implicated, one for propaganda, the other for graft and fraud, to become councillors after she met Hampton.

10. Helen Zille, MEC Anton Bredell and MEC Alan Winde (now Premier) threatened to sue Hampton and hold him criminally liable for his accusations. When Hampton responded by listing the corruption and suggested that Zille meet with him to discuss it instead – she refused. That was unsurprising because all three are implicated.

11. An example of how the DA protects criminals who are loyal its faction, is husband and wife team Rowan and Eleanore Spies. Before becoming DA councillors, they conveniently divorced but continued to act as partners i.e. same house, Valentines celebration, on Facebook and, especially, attending political functions together. Despite Hampton providing Helen Zille the Mazars report the DA had hidden, showing crime by Rowan, Rowan was made a DA District councillor. After he went to rehab for his alcoholism, he was promoted to the Mayoral Committee. Eleanore Spies had been exposed many times by Hampton. She’d responded with propaganda. The R600,000 De Swardt Vogel & Myambo report into Eleanore recommended that she, her legal adviser and the municipal manager be criminally charged and locally disciplined. The DA responded by promoting her to Speaker of the District and then to the National Assembly.

12. Eleanore Spies lied to NCOP why she would not attend a hearing of Hampton’s Love Knysna Petition. When she said she was working on the budget, a poor excuse, she was actually campaigning with Mmusi Maimane 300km away. Previous Mayor Georlene Wolmarans only appeared on the third date, after the NCOP Chair threatened to arrest her.

Helen Zille, ex-DA National leader and ex-Premier of the Western Cape is now the representative for the Garden Route under which Knysna falls. Hampton thinks its probable that she’s there because of the mess during her time, and that cover-up must be maintained.

ISSUES

This is sample of DA related corruption Hampton has been fighting:

1. Hampton wants Premier Alan Winde to answer why private companies across the Western Cape are being funded by the Public despite there having been no tender processes. In the case of Knysna Tourism, a section 21 company, an investigation by Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Attorneys found that it was irregular to do so, more so because of the conflict of interest created by politicians on the Board of Directors. Nevertheless, WESGRO, headed by an ex-DA MP, has now taken over the Knysna contract. The R50-million in irregular funding has been ignored, no one punished. The figure will be in the hundreds of millions if similar situations Western Cape are tallied. This happened under Winde as MEC Tourism, now promoted to Premier.

2. The ISDF was supposed to decide the future of Knysna for thirty years. Allegedly it was a test case for the Western Cape. The first tender in the process was awarded to a property tender consortium that never won it. MEC Local Government Anton Bredell, who is also the Chair of the Western Cape DA, gave the go-ahead for the tender despite having signed for a damning report undertaken by Provincial Treasury and his own department. He then lied about it, on video, in the legislature, claiming that three arms of government that Hampton had approached had cleared it when none had. Bredell ignored the threat by the DA against Hampton that was read out by ANC MP Richard Dyanti. This was recorded on video. Dyanti was only grandstanding, had never contacted Hampton and refused to act despite hampton contacting him many times.

3. Hampton laid complaint against Bredell for perjury with Sharna Fernandez. She acknowledged it but never acted, she and Bredell appearing high on the DA’s provincial lists in 2019.

4. Hampton personally gave evidence to Helen Zille against two DA candidates in 2016. One was a forensic report showing fraud and graft. The other was involved in the insidious campaign against Hampton. Zille allowed both to become councillors and then, later, as previously stated, threatened to sue him.

5. In August 2018, the De Swardt Vogel & Myambo investigation found, among other crimes, that Mayor Eleanore Spies had used taxpayers funds to pay for personal lawyers, and that she, Municipal Manager Kam Chetty and Legal Adviser Melony Paulsen had fraudulently backdated the Municipal Manager’s contract so as to try legitamise another R4-million payment to Knysna Tourism.

6. The unlawful appointment of Dawie Adonis as Director Community Services, and then his subsequent illegal transferral out of the limelight into a part-time position allegedly at the same more than an annual million pay. related is the possible cronyistic appointments of Fire Chief Clinton Manuel and Fire Station Commander Wayne Sternsdorf. Additionally, Knysna Municipality failed to act on Hampton’s complaints regarding alleged graft and undervaluing of his house.

7. The Great Knysna Fire killed 8 people, destroyed a thousand buildings, disrupted the economy and the lives of many citizens, and led to R480-million in litigation. That amount should be over R3-billion but the Knysna Municipality, fronted by Fire Chief Clinton Manuel, and backed by Mayor Eleanore Spies and Municipal Manager Kam Chetty, issued a fraudulent report. Hampton protested at the lie. Fire Chief Manuel threatened Hampton but the Knysna Municipality refused to act on the complaint. Instead, Manuel got a job with the City of Cape Town which was ironic since he’d gotten his job in Knysna after leaving a scandal there. Zille failed to act on Hampton’s Great Knysna Fire Complaint. Western Cape Government Head Graham Paulse failed too but also with regards Hampton’s complaint against Zille.

8. The DA’s Knysna coalition partner, Velile Waxa, is the prime suspect in organising the assassination of Knysna ANC Chief Whip Victor Molosi on 23 July 2018. Protests have led to major disruptions of the town and the N2. The climate before that was disturbing. DA Councillor Peter Myers, allegedly on instructions from DA East Region Manager Jaco Londt (who in turn would’ve been instructed by someone higher up) secretly contributed to to the ex-ANC councillor’s election campaign to run as an Independent in an overwhelmingly ANC ward. Waxa, a very controversial figure and feared by some, yet he became the DA’s partner even though they had three softer options to choose from. Waxa then publicly threatened a female citizen and was was caught illegally interfering in a tender. The DA delayed the case for a year, MEC Bredell involved. When it looked like they had no choice but to proceed, Waxa blackmailed Mayor Spies with a Motion of No Confidence that she might have lost. He dropped it after she hired his niece, Priscilla September, to be her personal assistant. The jo wasn’t advertised, it was blackmail paid. The next court case in the Molosi murder trial is in August 2019.

The DA Federal Executive and Mmusi Maimane have repeatedly received Hampton’s evidence yet done nothing because, Hampton claims, the interests of the DA is more important than the interests of the Public. More precisely, their interest is factionalised within the DA.

INTIMIDATION EXAMPLES

1. “I have it on good authority that the DA are actively trying to get you out, by whatever means possible.”- Candace Myers (wife of then Knysna DA Chairperson Peter Myers)

2. “Attention Hampton… You seem not to realize that you are in no position to negotiate. I’m surprised you even tried. We hold all the cards, and have all the power to make your life really and truly miserable… The moment it is out there that Louis’ Steakhouse supports you and enables you, there is bound to be a consequence to their business… We are an open consortium of all the people in Knysna you have ever dared to attack, now come together to make sure you pay handsomely for your activities. In addition are wealthy businessmen and women who are prepared to pay to see it stopped. No names. You’ll probably never know. Feel better now? Jail is more than likely your next Knysna destination.”- Dr Martin Young (March 2016)

3. “Some officials are of the view that court action against you, with or without charge of criminal liability, might be a realistic solution to ensure that your ongoing defamatory action stops.”- – Attorney Fiona Stewart on behalf of Premier Helen Zille, MEC Anton Bredell and MEC Alan Winde (all high-ranking DA members)

4. “Ask him about his unnatural interest in children… especially boys! I have first hand proof of this in my own home.” – Protecting Brand Knysna (DA propaganda page with Dr Martin Young as one of it’s main administrators)

5. “He’s been run out of Queensburgh and Pietermaritzburg, allegedly on account of the parents of young boys (and a few girls) becoming concerned about the undue attention he gives them.” – Baden Hall (friend of disgraced Knysna Tourism CEO and an administrator on Young’s Protecting Brand Knysna page)

6. “His recent appeal for a child in need may also be a scam – a way to enrich himself.” – DA Knysna Deputy Mayor Peter Myers (commenting on my request for clothes and food for a homeless teen orphan)

7. “If only the people of Knysna stop enabling, he will have to pack his bags and go.”- Captain Dewald Kitching (Knysna Station, South African Police Service)

8. “We’ll meet in the street. That’s where the playing fields are levelled, on the street.” – Knysna Fire Chief Clinton Manuel

COURT ORDERS AGAINST HAMPTON

It’s highly ironic that the people bullying Hampton for exposing their corruption are being granted protection orders forbidding Hampton mention their names. These are the current ones, most relevant because they will result in Hampton being jailed.

1. DA Eleanore Spies and Rowan Spies (protection order) – Hampton’s exposes backed by forensic report procured by her own municipality. Additionally, Auditor General found her unadvertised contracting of her unqualified friend and political campaign manager, Fran Kirsten, to Communications Manager was irregular. Hampton’s exposure again vindicated.

2. DA Dr Martin Young (protection order) – prime figure in propaganda and bullying of Hampton and citizens. Young was a defender of the corruption.

3. Acting Fire Chief Wayne Sternsdorf (protection order) – Neighbour of Julie Seton and Esme Edge. Order granted for Hampton writing one fair article about his past background in Cape Town where he allegedly tied a noose around a black cadet’s neck and then made him walk on all fours, barking like a dog. Sternsdorf quit during the disciplinary hearing and got a job in Knysna where Clinton Manuel, his friend and ex-boss, who’d also left Cape Town in scandal, was on the selection committee. Additionally, a fire was reported several times to Sternsdorf who chose not to act. two months later that became the Great Knysna Fire. He was promoted to Acting Fire Chief.

4. DA Advocate Julie Seton (protection order) – also uses names Julie Lopes and Julie Jefferys. Was a DA candidate in 2016 but the opposing faction that Peter Myers ruled beat them. She and her life partner appear to be behind all the court cases against Hampton. They anonymously opened a Facebook page called Knysna Knews which pretended to act like its name by sharing other people’s posts. However, it’s original content promoted the DA and, primarily Edge. Mostly, it attempted to discredit Hampton. When Hampton proved their identities, they lied that it had never been secret. Seton also lied to the Cape Bar that she hadn’t represented her Edge against Hampton so that it would appear that she wasn’t in conflict of interest. Hampton has a protection order against her but the police wouldn’t act on her contraventions. Recently, Seton teamed up with a con artist Hampton had exposed. Jaco Dercksen posted Hampton’s father’s address on the internet and Seton emailed Hampton threatening to criminally charge his innocent father for aiding and abetting.

5. DA Esme Edge (interdict): This is the primary order that the SAPS are currently seeking Hampton for. Hampton had no evidence in this case and couldn’t mount a defence. Nevertheless, after the plaintiff’s lawyers never appeared, his advocate informed him the case was over and that he could blog. Hampton blogged once about what had happened and was found guilty of contempt for three years. His lawyer got disbarred and the substitute lawyer never responded. In between, the court folders were taken by an unidentified blonde woman but the Court wouldn’t investigate. When Hampton posted a sample of his forthcoming book about DA corruption, Edge appealed to the court who responded by ordering that the sheriff arrest Hampton, that his website be closed down and his book not be published on or after 1 April 2019. Consequently, Hampton published it online beforehand, giving it away for free. The order appeared to serve the DA rather than only the plaintiff. Judge Babalwa Mantane made generalised judgement, effectively not protecting just the applicant but the DA as a whole. She did so without having a copy of the book or the website. Hampton was in Namibia when court happened. Consequently, he’s being held in contempt too.

For more, and summaries of ‘strange’ happenings in Court, read “Proof I Will Never Get a Fair Trial”.

THESE ORGANISATIONS REFUSED HAMPTON ASSISTANCE

Several refusals happened in suspicious circumstances. The taboo subject appears to be the DA. The DA is protected. Here are some of the organisations not helping even though the issues Hampton presents would help many people:

1. South African Human Rights Commission (Durban & Cape Town)

2. Legal Aid (KZN Director Andre Britz & Durban Manager Gerhard Volschenk)

3. Corruption Watch (various)

4. Accountability Now (Director Paul Hoffman)

5. OUTA (CEO Wayne Duvenage)

6. Legal Resources Centre

7. ProBono.org

8. Cape Law Society

9. Amnesty International

10. Section 27

11. Human Rights Watch (Southern Africa Director Dewa Mavhinga)

Many NGOs failed to respond despite Hampton receiving read receipts or having called them.

EVIDENCE

Mike Hampton has uploaded detailed evidence to his website to prove his allegations. It’s abundantly clear that serious investigation is required. Start chronologically with:

1. Affidavit to the Hawks (and sequel blogs). That includes extra issues that were meant to appear in the book sequel. It’s also more compact and much shorter.

2. Petition to the National Council of Provinces (summary).

3. ‘Same Shit, Different Government’ – The book is purposely a dense read with links so that it can act as evidence. Part 1 deals mostly with the illegal funding of Knysna Tourism (Alan Winde) and the ISDF tender for property developers (Anton Bredell). Part 2 focuses on the intimidation.

4. Submissions to the Public Protector.

5. Complaint against the whitewash to Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.

6. Hunger strike.

6. Mega file for download from Dropbox – includes everything mentioned and thousands of pages more – court cases etc.

CONCLUSION

Hampton has exposed crime affecting leading DA figures, national government staff, and local politicians and administrators. His value as a witness outweighs him writing a book exposing crime, yet he is being treated as a criminal. The pursuit of Hampton is pure government and political intimidation meant to silence the truth and protect criminals.

This should be the biggest story in the DA’s history, and one of the biggest national stories of the year. It’s suspicious that mainstream Media is refusing to report, seemingly favouring a side which ensures the Western Cape suffers.

Hampton said he had no option but to break the courts orders. The Public had to be warned and National Government must step in to help the citizens of the Western Cape. President Cyril Ramaphosa must uphold his promise to fight corruption, that doesn’t mean only his ANC enemies but DA corruption too.

Hampton says his last chance, despite it being a small chance, is his hunger strike. He demands that President Cyril Ramaphosa step in and explain why DA corruption is being protected by the ANC.

Hampton wants his evidence thoroughly investigated and the crooked punished. Besides direct crime, this would be South Africa’s best case for PRECCA. Hampton has an enormous amount of evidence.

Ideally, a Senior member of the SAPS must acknowledge the value of his evidence and accompany him to Court. Hampton will stand trial for writing his book and blogging about the corrupt. But rather than be in a holding cell and then jail (considering the past, Hampton is unlikely to get a fair trial), the investigators into Hampton’s evidence should request that they take him into custody in between, or put him under house arrest, until their investigation into far bigger matters is completed.

The investigation cannot be done without Hampton. Anything less is cover-up, damage to the Public in the name of protecting corruption.

This page was updated on 6 August 2019.