“This is a coastal town they forgot to close down. Come Armageddon, come.”
– Morrissey 

The Democratic Alliance’s favourite property developer, Chris Mulder, enters a new scandal. Some of his family and MEC Local Government Anton Bredell join the rollercoaster on Thesen Islands in Knysna.

This likely involves millions of profit made from alleged illegal additions to The Boatshed (which includes the île de païn restaurant, The Lofts Boutique Hotel, and The Terraces accommodation).

It’s expected that this is the beginning of a bigger controversy involving corrupt municipal staff and property undervaluations worth hundreds of millions of rands. The corrupt Knysna Municipality, questionable business owners and associations will make full facts hard to reach.

The Mulders are encouraged to tell their side of the story. MEC Bredell is encouraged to do his job.

Although this article focuses on the opening crack, it’s good to explain what Thesen Islands is, why one suburb profoundly affects a whole town and the link to the Democratic Alliance (DA).

THESEN ISLANDS IS A SAFE HAVEN FOR THE WEALTHY

Thesen Islands is only a one minute drive away from the centre of Knysna. Being on an island, a bridge and a security gate offer the residents of its 600 houses and apartments safety from the dangers of violent South Africa.

On offer are squash, tennis, a clubhouse, a playground, a putting green and a marina (though many houses have a mooring for their private boats). Its quiet streets are perfect for kids riding bicycles. There’s also an area for dogs to run.

Some houses are uncomfortably close to one another so that you can hear your rich neighbours through your thin walls but others, especially on the corners, have more space and are beautiful. Those, of course, cost more.

Although R35-million has been reached, the most expensive properties generally don’t have their sale prices publicly posted. Remax is currently selling a 1-bedroom flat for R3.5-million, and a 7-bedroom house for R23.5-million. However, as with the 2008 stockmarket crash, it’s certain that the coronavirus crisis insists on their reevaluation.

The commercial section is called Thesen Harbour Town. It’s open to the Public, hosting approximately 70 offices, boutique shops and a whopping eight estate agencies. Those are generally quiet because Knysna is a seasonal town and wealthy foreigners are required to buy stunning art and R100,000 lounge suites. Gaining more foot traffic are two hotels, several restaurants and a complex called The Boatshed. When the South African Navy visits, they dock outside the headquarters of SANParks.

That phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” must be obeyed when it assists understanding. The photo below shows that the residential section occupies the vast majority of space. The commercial side is small, mostly running along both sides of the road that continues after the bridge.

The intention to build on two sides of the opposite mainland met resistance.

The citizens of Knysna are divided on their opinion about whether Thesen islands should’ve been created.

Knysna is bowl-shaped. Most suburbs are on higher slopes, looking down on Thesen. Some consider the complex an eyesore in the middle of the protected estuary, the sun glaring off its surfaces, spoiling the view in what was meant to be a green town. Others wish they could live there. Outsiders have given it awards.

Thesen Islands was the den of Maritime Risk Solutions, the business of the Van Niekerk fraudsters. But it was also the Turbine Hotel and their wonderful staff that offered refuge during the Great Knysna Fire.

Considering that modern society appreciates money more than opinion or aesthetics, that’s what requires focus here. Emphasis must be added as Knysna’s economy was stagnant pre-coronavirus and its local government limps severely as a result of mismanagement, fraud and corruption. Add global recession to weak ‘leadership’, and Knysna is probably going to experience the worst pain in its history since colonialists killed the Khoi and elephants. I’m not exaggerating for effect. These are dark times.

There’s no public listing for the value of Thesen Island’s structures and land but this writer, after conversations with more knowledgable people, estimates that this single suburb is worth approximately R5-billion.

Thesen Islands affects the economic health of Knysna.

CHRIS MULDER, FAMILY & ASSOCIATES

Instead of completing this article, further on I’m going to simply share my emails of inquiry. But, first, more background is needed:

LETTER FROM WESTERN CAPE GOVERNMENT

In June, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) held a rare session to hear Knysna’s complaints.

The same month, I revealed that the Western Cape Government and the DA had attempted to illegally take over Knysna’s government which had been in the hands of the ANC for 9 months after a DA faction fight during which the DA bizarrely chose to become opposition despite having the majority of Council seats.

Although I never dug into it then, it was notable to me that several Thesen islands business owners were involved in promoting propaganda that created a crisis the DA sought to exploit. Also notable is that the pseudo-Greater Knysna Business Chamber was involved. It too included some of those figures, as well as several tourism people who were previously involved in illegally receiving taxpayer funding (with the approval of Premier Alan Winde). Another repeat figure is property developer Schalk van der Merwe who took over the Ward 10 Committee so as to gain influence over the business district (but had to relinquish it when his actions were shown to be illegal).

It’s my suspicion that the Greater Knysna Business Chamber is a subversive force working with the DA, and oblivious smaller members are being exploited to give it legitimacy. I won’t deviate here but that’ll be included in my updated complaint to COGTA.

In that busy month, I exposed a secret recording wherein the DA leadership and MEC Local Government Anton Bredell plotted the overthrow of Oudtshoorn, another town in our Garden Route District Municipality. The provincial ANC and GOOD party gained press coverage for their objections, and complaints were laid with the Public Protector. Helen Zille and the DA Federal Executive have been uncooperative which suggests they were party to the underhanded attempts to hang onto power in the 2021 local elections.

But MEC Bredell is uncomfortably in the spotlight.

On 6 July, an informant gave me a copy of a letter sent by Bredell to Knysna Speaker Titi Gombo (ANC). Bredell was suddenly being uncharacteristically dutiful by asking questions about many corruption matters. The letter appeared to be a mishmash of copying and pasting which leads me to believe that the inclusion of an item involving Thesen Islands was a mistake on his part. After all, it never mentioned the location, only vague reference to buildings alongside the Boatshed complex. Except that the buildings are, essentially, part of The Boatshed.

I state “mistake” because MEC Bredell previously tried to give a property developer consortium the rights to decide Knysna’s 30-year future. Knysna was to be the test case for everywhere the DA ruled. Knysna Creative Heads (KCH) wasn’t the tender winner yet got it anyway, personally approved by Bredell despite his own department and Treasury having compiled a report against it. KCH was chaired by Chris Mulder. It included his CMAI company as well as Marike Vreken, a controversial planning consultant known to fight for developments in environmentally sensitive areas.

I took the issue to Parliament. Bredell committed perjury regarding it to the Western Cape Legislature. On my video page, watch the three entitled: ‘Love Knysna Petition – Decision by NCOP’, ‘DA MEC Anton Bredell Asked if I’m Insane’ and ‘Love Knysna Petition in Parliament – Second Hearing’.

The Office of the Public Protector (OPP) previously covered it up, and their Western Cape boss got a job in Helen Zille’s office. The main fact is that no one has been punished for the past 7 years, and I expect that another round of cover-up will happen this year.

The point is that Mulder received exceptional favouritism from MEC Bredell who has been involved in property scandals across the province during the past decade. There’s strong reasoning why the DA is nicknamed the ‘Developer’s Alliance’. And Bredell doubles as their Western Cape Chair.

In MEC Bredell’s letter to Speaker Gombo, he includes:

“The irregular approval of building plans by the Manager: Land Use Manager, Mr Hennie Smit, pertaining to properties adjacent to the Boatshed, that exceeded the permitted roof height. It is alleged that these approvals are unlawful, as the applicant(s) failed to submit an application for departure and/or other relevant land use applications;

Provide a list of the properties adjacent to the Boatshed in respect of which the Municipality recently approved building plans;

Provide the application forms, objections thereto and the respective decisions taken by the Municipality in this regard;

Provide a copy of any specialist studies that accompanied such applications;

Provide a copy of the respective approved building plans, diagrams etc. depicting the extent of the respective buildings;

Provide a copy of the Conditions of Approval for any approvals granted; and

Provide information on whether any departure applications were accompanied by the building approval application, if not, the reasons why.”

Importantly, the Boatshed was not named directly as part of the problem. The Terraces, île de païn and The Lofts Boutique Hotel were not named at all.

THE FIRE

On 6 May 2016, the île de païn restaurant burnt down. Its owners are Chris Mulder’s daughter, Liezie Mulder, and her husband, Markus Färbinger. Chris’s CMAI office also burnt down, with the building plans for Thesen Islands (which was oddly rumoured to have had no back-ups). The office of Attorney Franci Joubert was also taken by the fire. She’s the long-term partner of Andre Schempers whom I think is also part of the Mulder family via a previous marriage. Part of The Boatshed, which housed Mulder’s wife’s office, a spa and accommodation, was damaged too. The cause of the fire was never determined.

A key ingredient in making money as a property developer is in bulk. The more structures you can fit onto a plot, the more money can be made via rental or sales. Concurrently, the higher you can go, the better.

To constrain property developers from causing environmental damage or infringing on the rights of their neighbours, there are normally strict rules. Thesen Islands has a single overlay plan that governs both residential and commercial structures.

However, on 11 June 2020, in a Special Knysna Council Meeting, Thesen Islands was oddly mentioned by DA Leader Michelle Wasserman. I’d already been warned that Wasserman was in league with developers but this was the first time I was aware of her showing her hand. She implied that the commercial development of Thesen Islands hadn’t been approved, and stated that there needed to be two overlays; one for residential, one for commercial.

The incompetent ANC and COPE never asked why she’d randomly introduced the topic, nor dismissed the ridiculousness. The Thesen Islands development has existed for 20 years and had to arduously comply with over a hundred laws which would likely never have been approved today. The overlay isn’t unfairly restrictive, it’s not one set of laws for houses and businesses. Beneath it, for want of a better term, are by-laws. Together, they ensure a cohesive vision for Thesen islands that was a condition for its existence.

The only logical explanation for wanting a separate overlay is in the fact that the developers have been caught out make illegal deviations from the legitimate overlay, and are trying to find a way to govern themselves in order to make more money. They’d already tried to do so by establishing Thesen Islands Commercial Owners Association (TICOA), allegedly to get around the governing body of the Island, so they could submit plans to themselves before submitting to the Municipality.

Unsurprisingly, information about TICOA cannot be found online. Its Chairperson/frontman is Richard Wilkinson. He allegedly occupies the position in contravention of their own rules which would require him to be a business owner (which he apparently isn’t).

I first encountered Wilkinson via email in 2013 when I was reporting on the Kianu Satu, a cargo ship that had shipwrecked on our coast and was threatening an oil spill. I was critical of the Knysna Municipality which was keeping the Public insufficiently informed (and had banned me). Wilkinson was a fan of Municipal Manager Lauren Waring. I wasn’t because she was illegally funding a section 21 company that had named itself Knysna Tourism. She’d also become negatively involved in the ISDF tender which she, before Bredell, had given to the consortium headed by Chris Mulder.

Wilkinson had claimed to want to bridge the gap between me and the Municipality, but after I proved that Waring was a liar, he went silent, leaving me thinking that his real intention was to save the Municipality criticism. If I recall correctly, at that stage, he was a director of TIHOA (and TICOA never existed). What made the situation more frustrating was that he claimed that he was one of the composers of The King Report on Corporate Governance, the most well-known guideline used by the governance structures of companies in South Africa. Consequently, when he blockaded me in the recent email (to be found hereunder), I never bothered to hide my disgust at his moral hypocrisy.

ILLEGAL DEVIATIONS

In case you’re an apathetic or nihilistic reader who thinks business is business, I want you to imagine if the Municipality allowed you to illegally build an extra floor on your house. And that you got to rent it out at an exceptionally high rate. Your neighbours then copy you so that there’s no parking space, potholes worsen and your sewerage pipes get constipated. Whereas you used to live in a neighbourhood with birds, they’ve flown away from the noise.

If the law applies to you, it must apply to immoral property developers whose goal is to make more money than you can dream of.

Here you can clearly see that The Lofts has added a third floor and a foundation where there previously used to be pillars. The third image was extracted from Chris and Stef Mulder’s CMAI company, proving that, in addition to being shareholders, it was also designed by them.

The new raised deck of The Lofts needs to be checked for legality too.

île de païn restaurant is on the opposite side of The Boatshed and Loft Boutique Hotel, facing the road. The same 3-storey elevation was applied. Additionally, it’s alleged that the 3 apartments on the top floor, named The Terraces, rented out as holiday accommodation, cannot be legally utilised for that purpose.

Construction on the third floor within the main building of The Boatshed.

MY INQUIRIES TO TICOA & THE ‘MULDERS’

From: Michael Hampton <words@themikehampton.com>
Date: Friday, 10 July 2020 at 15:04
To: Richard Wilkinson <richard.wilkinson@worldonline.co.za>
Subject: Query to Thesen Islands Commercial

Hi, Richard. We haven’t spoken since that ship and its oil got stuck off our coast. I hope you’ve been well.

TICOA – am I getting the anagram correct? I was surprised to not find it online. I’d appreciate if you give me a link to its website, and tell me who the Board of Directors are. How long have you been Chair? If I recall correctly, you were previously the Chair of TIHOA. The anagrams confused me for a while.

I’m sure you already know the attached letter [Bredell’s questions to Speaker Gombo]. It became the talk of Knysna, especially the Island, when I exposed it. I direct you to the relevant section for my queries…

Please provider me a list of those properties.

Confirm that The Lofts hotel is one of them. Confirm that the owners of that building include Chris Mulder and several family members. Photos online show notable differences e.g. an extra floor, the foundation fronted and an extra deck level on the patio.

Although not listed in MEC Bredell’s letter, the same laws apply. Is it true that The Boatshed is illegal too, that it has more bulk than allowed?

Is it true that île de païn and the flats above are for sale? If so, when did it go on sale? Are the flats above legal?

What other buildings have illegally being bulked up, or constructed or extended with departure from building restrictions?

Why did the Board not prevent illegal construction?

What court cases are there and who are the parties?

Mike Hampton
themikehampton.com
Pretty town: loveknysna.com

* * * * * *

On 2020/07/10 6:37 pm, Richard Wilkinson wrote:

Dear Mr Hampton

This is to confirm that I received your message below with attachment but only had sight of same at 17:45 today Friday 10 July 2020.

I have forwarded your communication to all Members of the Board of Trustees of Thesen Islands Commercial Owners Association (TICOA) for their information and comment. Dependent upon the Trustees reaction I will come back to you soonest but it will certainly not be before your requested deadline of midday to-morrow Saturday that is totally unreasonable.

Regards

Richard S Wilkinson
Chairman – TICOA Board of Trustees

* * * * * *

From: Michael Hampton <words@themikehampton.com>
Date: Friday, 10 July 2020 at 19:45
To: Richard Wilkinson <richard.wilkinson@worldonline.co.za>
Subject: Re: Query to Thesen Islands Commercial

Thank you.

Mike Hampton
themikehampton.com
Pretty town: loveknysna.com

* * * * * *

On 2020/07/11 12:33 pm, Richard Wilkinson wrote:

Dear Mr Hampton

Further to our exchanges below regarding the above.

I have now had responses from all TICOA Trustees and a few directly affected Members to the queries raised in your initial message.

It is the unanimous decision of our Board of Trustees that we would not respond to the detailed questions and refer you to the Knysna Municipality.

Suffice to say that TICOA refute the implied allegations against our Association and Membership.

Regards

Richard S Wilkinson
Chairman – TICOA Board of Trustees

* * * * * *

From: Michael Hampton <words@themikehampton.com>
Date: Saturday, 11 July 2020 at 12:52
To: Richard Wilkinson <richard.wilkinson@worldonline.co.za>
Subject: Re: Query to Thesen Islands Commercial

Richard, by saying that “TICOA refute the implied allegations” is odd since I asked: “Why did the Board not prevent illegal construction?” Either the construction is legal or it isn’t. Why will you not tell me that?

Secondly, I asked passive questions too. For a reason yet to be determined, you won’t answer.

Since you’re also an oversight body, why would you act against the interests of Knysna?

When people choose to be obstructive, it’s normally because they’ve got something to hide. What are you hiding, Richard? What happened to you since you claimed that you were one of the compilers of the Kings rules of governance?

So that you’re not only the frontman, please clarify who the “TICOA Trustees and a few directly affected Members” you’re representing in this email?

You’ve definitely stoked my interest. I recommend that you inform the rest of your members too, as you’re now reflecting poorly on all of them.

I encourage you to reconsider. Please choose a moral path.

Mike Hampton
themikehampton.com
Pretty town: loveknysna.com

* * * * * *

From: Richard Wilkinson <richard.wilkinson@worldonline.co.za>
To: Michael Hampton <words@themikehampton.com>

Dear Mr Hampton

Your message below is acknowledged and is noted – I have nothing more to add.

Regards

Richard S Wilkinson
Chairman – TICOA Board of Trustees

* * * * * *

Subject: Fwd: Re: Query to Thesen Islands Commercial
Date: Sat, 11 Jul 2020 16:44:08 +0200
From: Michael Hampton <words@themikehampton.com>
To: Thesen Islands – Richard Wilkinson <richard.wilkinson@worldonline.co.za>

Thank you. I appreciate you having clarified your position.

Mike Hampton
themikehampton.com
Pretty town: loveknysna.com

* * * * * *

Subject: Query to Thesen Islands Commercial
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2020 18:12:34 +0200
From: Mike Hampton <words@themikehampton.com>
To: chris@cmai.co.za, steff@cmai.co.za, artisans@iledepain.co.za, stay@iledepain.co.za, andre@theislands.co.za
CC: richard.wilkinson@worldonline.co.za

I’m inquiring as to the possibly illegal structural deviations to the buildings known as The Boatshed, The Lofts and The Terraces (above il de pain). As your family are involved as architects, managers, builders and owners, you’re well qualified to respond.

1. The rules of Thesen Islands is strict regarding height and bulk. Why did you exceed that?

2. The second permission you’d have needed was from the Knysna Municipality. That would’ve required an inside man. Was that Hennie Smit?

3. Did the Loft’s new deck have any permission, rightly or wrongly gained?

The forwarded email at the very bottom will give further reference and provides my motivation.

4. The rest is TICOA Chair Richard Wilkinson seemingly thrown away his morals to protect you and others. That would fit with my suspicion that TICOA isn’t meant to provide oversight but rather to be a barricade between you and the law. Is that true?

5. Is it true that Wilkinson doesn’t own a business and is thus unqualified, by your own rules, to be Chair? If that’s true, that would emphasis my previous concerns.

When people act suspiciously, it encourages me to dig, as I’ve done now.

Of course, if I’ve been misinformed, then I’d gladly be corrected. A Knysna without scandal is a better Knysna. And during these tough times, I’d much rather wish you and your businesses the best of success.

But since I’m having to address awkward matters, I may as well address nasty rumour. I’m sure you’ve heard them too so it would be constructive to clear the air.

6. Were the offices of CMAI and Attorney Franci Joubert, and the restaurant known as île de païn, burnt by [description withheld]?

7. Was then [name withheld] involved directly or indirectly?

8. Did CMAI or any of you have the intention to be involved in construction in [area withheld]?

9. Did one or more of you directly or indirectly pay [name withheld] expensive legal fees?

And some more…

10. Is it true that several of the commercial buildings ‘represented’ by TICOA are grossly undervalued, meaning that Knysna’s taxpayers have been robbed of millions in revenue?

11. Has Chris Mulder left town?

12. Have Liezie Mulder and Markus Färbinger relocated too, or are intending to do so?

13. Are île de païn and ‘The Terraces’ up for sale? If so, why suddenly, and during the covid crisis when the price gained would likely be undervalued?

14. Do points 12 and 13 above have anything to do with the illegal construction coming to light through MEC Anton Bredell’s query?

15. Do you know who laid the complaint to Bredell?

Is there anyone else you recommend that I should speak to e.g. partners in, or managers of, the aforementioned buildings? Any other business owners on Thesen Islands?

This time, please put Knysna first. Don’t be silent, don’t intimidate. Just be normal, good folk. Honest people answer. And indignantly honest people do so with evidence.

I’m 100% for truth so welcome your side. Please respond by this Saturday. It’s my hope that you can put everything to rest as I’ve too much on my plate already.

Thank you.

Mike Hampton
themikehampton.com
Pretty town: loveknysna.com

THIS STORY ISN’T OVER

As this story is far from over, let me end on a current issue and the likely bigger stories to come.

Hennie Smit is Knysna Municipality’s Manager of Land Use Management. He’s implicated in the unlawful deviations. He’s been quietly suspended for almost a year and has earned approximately R1-million salary during that time. There’s an associated court case that’s been delayed for months owing to the coronavirus. Unfortunately, I don’t know the details of the case but the Knysna Municipality has apparently concurred with the complainants.

However, it’s alleged that Smit is implicated in much more.

Major businesses on Thesen Islands, including several restaurants, are allegedly so grossly undervalued that it’s cost the town millions of rands. More worrying is the rumour that the houses are cumulatively undervalued by hundreds of millions. That would affect rates and transfer fees. It’s expected that the loss over two decades will be a fortune.

As citizens, we must keep asking why has there’s been no oversight and transparency by Knysna Municipality? And when will the residents of Thesen Islands subscribe to Knysna by insisting that TICOA and TIHOA commit to honesty?

WHEN WILL KNYSNA STAND UP?

There’s been no response from the Mulder family during the 6 days since I sent the last email.

I contacted Paul Burchell, the General Manager of TIHOA who pretended to be so ignorant that he couldn’t assist me with a few questions including who was on the Board of TICOA. My previous frustration at such attitude by two clique-orientated Knysna residents was graphically expressed with ‘Why are you beating your wife until there’s blood on your Gucci shoes?’ What will it take for the good people of Knysna to step forward, and for Thesen islanders to become part of our town?

Knysna is a closed society, controlled by wealthy social groups, their wannabe supporters, and an extremely rotten government that’s often controlled from Cape Town. The past 10 years, I discovered loads of information by being diligent or digging, but informants have played an important role. Please contact me if you have related information to share. Your anonymity that helps Knysna is respected. You’re never too old to find the hero in you.

I’m taking a sabbatical to focus on preparing evidence for the Auditor General and COGTA. I’ve already made submissions but if I make them better, it’ll help them do their job and give them more time to investigate. I hope to find your helpful information upon my return.

KEEP YOURSELF BUSY WHILST I’M GONE

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This is #Day 31 of my 100 Days of Activism against Corruption.