The Knysna Municipality Can't Say I Wasn't There
This photo proves how ridiculous it is trying to deal with the Knysna Municipality. The blame must fall on Lauren Waring, as the municipal manager, and Georlene Wolmarans, as mayor.
It’s old news that they are not fans of mine because i seek answers to that which they so often do not want to answer. If South Africa were truly a democracy, and the law had value, they’d have been chucked out of office in their first year on the job. I say ‘on the job’ meaning anything but that!
My morning was spent between 4 government buildings. I visited eventing, communications (Christopher Bezuidenhout), health (James McCarthy), finance (Grant Easton), disaster management (Richard Meyer) and planning. My goal was to get answers, or the start of a route to answers, on issues such as the legality (or illegality) of the Oyster Festival selling liquor on school grounds, tourism’s finances, illegal signage, political favouritism, poisoned oysters, vagrants and pigs.
Grant Easton – Director Financial Services of Knysna Municipality and on the Finance Committee of Knysna Tourism
Of all the people i spoke to, only two responded. One admitted that he didn’t want the hot potato and sent me higher up the chain. The second, Grant Easton (Director of Finance), had his secretary try cancel the appointment i made with her after he discovered it was i who’d made it.
The rest didn’t bother to call back despite me having clearly left my details and intentions behind. The greatest irony was that Christopher Bezuidenhout (Manager Communications and Customer Relations) was one of them.
They will definitely know that i’ve been there because i wrote down my reasons for visiting and got their staff members to write down their names, and sign and stamp before giving me a copy. This way, especially since my emails are bouncing, the Knysna Municipality can’t pretend that they didn’t know i was there and weren’t aware of the issues presented.
That explains the papers in that photo.
The notepad was to order my thoughts as i planned blogs and phoned/SMSed people regarding news items, until my battery died.
Is obstruction what municipal managers, directors and politicians are paid for?
The beer was because of all the above.
Grant Eaton has been there since 2002 and has overstayed his welcome and must now just get! A thorough investigation is waiting upon them come 2016 post the elections.
I’d like a thorough investigation now. We’ve waited 3 years. I don’t want to wait 2 more.
This is no classical DaCeivers. They are doing it all over the province. What a bunch of losers. You must report these dereliction of duty and abuse of power to the Public Protector because its fall squarely within her jurisdiction.
It’s like I say. Feathered nests. And they don’t want some other bird flying off with the material. So they put up barriers. But as you rightly point out, that is not how government should work. We’re a long way from enjoying openness and transparency.