Hot on the heels of Knysna Municipality’s tender controversy that resulted in senior management accusing even more senior management of manipulating tenders, a tender involving vehicles has gone missing.

T29/2014 was for the supply of vehicles and equipment. Before they quit, the Bid Evaluation Committee reported that the tender of Nissan Knysna had gone missing. I do not allude to wrongdoing on their part but it is common knowledge that Nissan Knysna has been accused of favouritism from the Municipality.

Lauren Waring’s reaction, at the November 27 Council Meeting on her last day on the job, was bizarre. She said: “I don’t think this was a mistake. I think this was purposely taken by someone who wanted to discredit our supply chain processes.”

It’s not to say that that isn’t possible in the twisted world of Knysna politics but the correct response would have been to be unbiased and express that everything possible was being done to get to the bottom of the matter. Instead, she chose to be defensive and point a finger of blame at an unknown suspect with no proof – that is suspicious.

She went on to say that there was an internal investigation and, if found warranted, that a charge would be laid at the Knysna police station. What nonsense. This is a very serious matter. Concurrently, there should be an internal investigation and a SAPS investigation.

Additionally, her allusion that the supply chain process was or is pure is a falsehood. Knysna Tourism is the litmus test for so much, and so many people, in our local government. Knysna Municipality continually gave ratepayers’ money to Knysna Tourism whilst its accounts were in the red – that was illegal. Furthermore, the ISDF was not given to the tender winner but instead to a local property developer.

Soon, more information regarding tender irregularities will become publicly available. This will include the T20 construction tender that sparked the riots on the N2.

Where were the DA during this? They silently backed Lauren Waring whilst bullshit filled the Council chambers. I do not consider it a coincidence that an anonymous generated disclaimer against my blogs (under the pseudonym Knysna Knews) is circulating on Facebook and being supported by DA politicians (such as Michelle Wasserman and Louisa Hart) and Advocate Julie Seton, the girlfriend of Deputy Mayor Esme Edge.

Don’t be fooled. Ask questions!