There’s a big change afoot!

As I told my Facebook subscribers this week, it’s strongly rumoured that Knysna Tourism is technically bankrupt for the fourth year running. This has put pressure on CEO Greg Vogt, one of the worst appointments in the history of Knysna (which I have previously labelled as an action that only made sense if it was part of a cover-up).

No one has ever been punished for the mismanagement of the organisation. No one has ever been punished for wasting taxpayers money on favouritism without tenders and contracts. Instead, some were rewarded. In that way, they’ve maintained the cover-up.

I am 100% convinced of that which is why I have weathered the legal winds that have been blown at me. I’ve heard that Municipal Manager Grant Easton also wants to impale me with legal spears. Even if I lose one of the Harassment or interdict cases against me, that won’t stop me. There are other avenues to pursue… and I’m pursuing some already. In the bigger picture, win or lose, the cases against me will make the Applicants (CEO Vogt, Deputy Mayor Edge, Councillor Dawson, CPF Moos) look bad.

But, thankfully, things are falling apart quickly.

Two Board Directors have quit and a third who quit is apparently back but not in body as he’s ill. Even the Marketing Manager has quit again. So many changes in one month is not normal so don’t listen to any of the nonsense in the official press releases. Such huge amount of coincidence cannot be coincidental. The rats are jumping the sinking ship.

I seriously doubt that Greg Vogt’s contract will be renewed when it comes to an end in June. IT’S EXPECTED THAT THE ROLE OF MARKETING KNYSNA WILL BE PUT OUT TO TENDER. If that’s true, that Knysna Municipality hasn’t already announced it publicly means that they are giving other groups in-the-know an advantage over everyone else – that is rotten, unfortunately far too normal an occurrence for our town.

Knysna’s false leadership has become a cycle of compromised individuals being replaced by other compromised individuals. There are politicians, municipal staff and Board Directors who will want to save themselves BUT IT WILL BE TOO LITTLE TOO LATE. They’ve already damaged our town and they need to pay for it.

The state and shenanigans of Knysna Tourism are linked to the bigger picture of what has been going wrong in Knysna Municipality. Tender fraud and monies wasted on fancy offices and Cape Town trips are not what our challenging times need to heal. The politicians and Directors keep pulling off the scabs before we can heal. It’s damn-right selfish!

Twice in the past 2 weeks, Mayor Georlene has had to withdraw her own motions, the first regarding the ISDF (the 30-year plan for Knysna) and the second the appointment of Grant Easton. DA members have chosen sides as they try to save their jobs which are up for grabs in the local elections next year. A divided DA is good for us because it’s yet another opportunity to discover the truth.

I’m not ignoring the opposition (ANC/COPE/Independent). They’re a useless bunch who, in practice (against us too), may as well be called DA. However, it’s notable that there’s a strong possibility that our growing population will result in a new Ward, an eleventh which will add another two Councillors, quite possibly ANC which would mean that the DA may lose the elections. Of course, the DA doesn’t want that which means that they will need someone from the opposition to cross over to their side. Who that will be is the big question? In our town of flip-flopping/floor-crossing politicians, it won’t be a surprise but it is something that the public should determine sooner than later so that they know that their beliefs are being represented rather than the politician representing his or herself.

The even bigger context is Eden District under which we fall. Politically, the most important happenstance the past year was national Minister Pravin Gordhan and his team paying a surprise visit to that DA/ANC created disaster called Oudtshoorn. A mere week later, the Municipal Manager has been kicked out of office by the first joint effort I can recall by the local ANC and DA. It appears that Gordhan, the ex-Minister of Finance, is serious about his Back to Basics program which will make it the first from our government for us to admire in a very long time. It’s logical to assume that when the Back to Basics program is rolled out fully, our town of Knysna will be paid a visit. I will ensure that COGTA, his department, will be in possession of information regarding our town’s administrative irregularities and corruption. Hopefully, if Gordhan arrives himself, he will do exactly what he did in Oudtshoorn which was to first ask the public in the streets and malls what they think. Imagine that, a politician who hasn’t forgotten that politicians serve us – the DA and ANC in Knysna should copy his example.

I stated that it’s good that things are falling apart because it presents an opportunity to expose the villains, to see the tails beneath their pants and skirts… and to give them a jerk towards justice.