Tag Archives: Basil Michaelides

Scary Snapshot of Knysna Tourism's Finances

Mike Hampton Posted on by

In the photo above, you will find a 6-month snap-shop of Tourism’s finances in 2013. Click on it for a larger view. The Finance Committee included Greg Vogt (Chairman of the Board), Glendyrr Fick (KT Office Manager), Grant Easton (Director of Finance for Knysna Municiplaity), Richard Dawson (DA), Basil Michaelides (Auditor), Ruth Casti (accountant) and Randi-Lue Pluim (financial director). R20 000 is listed monthly under “New Monthly Unforseen Expenses”. Could those be the R20 000 payments to Greg Vogt? If so, how long was he receiving them? If not, then … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!

Is Knysna Tourism is an Illegal Company?

Mike Hampton Posted on by

Basil Michaelides was the ex-auditor of Knysna Tourism (KT) and a member of their Finance sub-committee. He was the owner of Michaelides & Co which was later subsumed by Grant Thornton SA. Strangely, shortly after i questioned Deepak Nagar, Grant Thornton’s Chairman, regards Basil’s actions at Knysna Tourism (KT), Basil quit. Back in early 2013, Michaelides & Co sent this this letter to KT (note how many times the pertinent points were expressed): As of the 1 May 2013, the two year “period of grace” in which to bring your … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!

Were Knysna Tourism’s payments to Greg Vogt legal?

Mike Hampton Posted on by

Greg Vogt will become CEO of Knysna Tourism on 1 July 2014, despite clouds of questions hanging over him. I haven’t met a member of the Public who can understand his appointment to this important position. Only the politicians and Lauren Waring seem to be motivating their decision… and that is suspicious in itself considering their role in all that went wrong at Knysna Tourism. In the next blog about him, I will show you how he was appointed and why it doesn’t add up. But let’s start with the … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!

Tourism Truth #5: Winde & Myers Turn Their Backs on Knysna

Mike Hampton Posted on by

Early this year, I shared this letter with you. I repeat it because it fits the chronology of this blog series and provides valuable substantiation and information. Considering that they have all failed to provide the answers they promised and that Peter Myers (now the Chairman of the Knysna DA Constituency) is actively altering the truth, makes it very important for you to absorb this: Dear Alan Winde and Peter Meyers I have exhaustively tried to get answers and being repeatedly blocked for almost 3 years by the DA, Knysna … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!

The Difficult DA and Proof They Lied (Part 2)

Mike Hampton Posted on by

Even if the Wizard of Oz ruled the Western Cape, it would be totally preposterous that Helen Zille, Alan Winde and countless other DA staff, councillors and ministers are unaware of my demands for transparency. Even my critics who support the DA at all costs would find it laughable that I haven’t made myself loud and clear. That I’m told that I haven’t and that they’ve been helpful, can only be considered as another delay and another attempted rewriting of history. My name crops up in meetings from here to … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!

The Difficult DA & Proof They Lied (Part 1)

Mike Hampton Posted on by

This is the merry-go-round I’ve been forced to ‘play’ on for 2 years, 8 months, 2 weeks and 5 days – I’ve been denied access to information that should have been public. The deniers have been the Knysna Municipality and the DA. Even the ‘DA Corruption Hotline’ and ‘DA-run Eden District Anti Fraud Hotline’ have remained silent to my submissions. This can only be viewed as a deliberate obstruction which fattened the question: “What are they hiding?” I resurface the topic of the Knysna Tourism budget (as part of the … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!

The disturbing situation at Knysna Tourism

Mike Hampton Posted on by

Justice is slow…and even slower now that the Knysna Municipality and Knysna Tourism have hindered the Public Protector’s efforts to gain transparency. In particular, 2 names should be singled out – Greg Vogt (who has essentially acted as Tourism CEO which is outside his role as Tourism Board Chairperson) and Lauren Waring (our infamous Municipal Manager). The Public Protector (PP) process will continue and if they fail to be helpful in the next round they will be subpoenaed but the big question is IF THEY HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE, THEN … Read the full article…

The truth may be bitter but sharing it is sweet!