AfriForum musters | Oudtshoorn Online
AfriForum musters	… But only for selected battles
Oudtshoorn’s Mayor and MM targeted
Oudtshoorn’s DA Councillors condoned by implication
Drewan Baird. Oudtshoorn. 5 October 2013. 07h10. After the civil rights organisation AfriForum laid criminal charges against Oudtshoorn Municipal Manager Ron Lottering earlier this week, it issued a statement on the ongoing Sand- en Klip matter wherein Oudtshoorn Executive Mayor Gordon April stands accused of stealing building sand and stone from the municipality.
The matter dates from late 2011 and the case was interrupted when the NPA decided not to prosecute April. AfriForum’s insistence saw the NPA re-open the case which was to be heard this Thursday last.
However, April’s attorney, Hardy Mills, was unable to attend court as he was engaged in preparation for a High Court matter initiated against the Oudtshoorn Speaker and others by the Western Cape minister of local government Anton Bredell and others.
Alternative council was retained for April and regional magistrate Mark van Wyngaardt postponed the matter for February 2014.
AfriForum spun the facts in a statement by its spokesperson Esmarie Prinsloo:
Magistrate warns Oudtshoorn Mayor re delay tactics
The case in which the Oudtshoorn Mayor, Mr Gordon April, is facing charges of theft of sand and rock as well as defeating the course of justice, was delayed once again in the Oudtshoorn Regional Court to 6 February 2014, after the defence attorney, Mr Hardy Mills, failed to show up at court. His reason was that he had to appear in the High Court in Cape Town on 4 October 2013 as legal advisor for the Oudtshoorn Municipality.
Magistrate Mark van Wyngaardt warned the accused that the court would proceed without legal representation should their attorney fail to appear at the next hearing, because excessive excuses are delaying the case.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” said George Kersop, Chair of the AfriForum branch in Oudtshoorn.
“This case has been dragging since November 2011 and it appears as if delay tactics are employed.”
Pieter Rautenbach, Head of Local Government Affairs at AfriForum, said that the organisation is considering reporting Mr Mills to the Cape Law Society for unprofessional conduct.
“The professional watchdog should take a strong stance against members who use all kinds of dubious techniques to prevent cases from being heard. We will monitor this case at our head office and act strongly if necessary.”
If April has to answer to court, so be it.
It is alarming though that AfriForum is allowing its reputation as a watchdog to be tarnished by pursuing alleged corruption and mismanagement after a rather inconsistent line.
April’s R140.00 (one hundred and forty rand) alleged theft is trumpeted… The alleged fraud of the Oudtshoorn DA Councillors in an amount of some R4.5m remains untouched by AfriForum hands.
Lottering yesterday reacted to the AfriForum case against him, after a media release earlier:
I have no record of any AfriForum request for information in the matter raised. AfriForum’s source is unknown; the acquisition irregular; the interpretation biased; the conclusion wrong. There is no basis for the complaint which only serves to expose AfriForum’s bias as the organisation remains completely mum on, for instance, a prima facie fraudulent Supreme Court of Appeal settlement by errant DA councillors potentially costing Oudtshoorn ratepayers some R4m. AfriForum’s cowboy approach compromises the serious business of service delivery.
I wrote Rautenbach on October 2:
Ons het lanklaas gesels!
Ek sien dat AfriForum ‘n klag van korrupsie, bedrog en finansiële wanbestuur teen Oudtshoorn se waarnemende munisipale bestuurder aanhangig gemaak het.
Ek sien NIE dat AfriForum eers die spreekwoordelike “ê” gesê het toe Oudtshoorn se 11 DA-raadslede en die enkele Cope-raadslid probeer het om sowat R4.5m van belastingbetalers te vervreem nie.
Ek het NIKS van AfriForum gehoor toe die onwettige DA-optrede van 31 Mei ‘n paar miljoen in onnodige regskoste tot gevolg gehad het nie.
Ek het NIKS gehoor oor die DA se “werwing” van 5 ANC-raadslede met beloftes van posisie en vergoeding nie.
Nie ‘n klankie van AfriForum oor klagtes wat met oortredings van die MFMA verband hou, teen die DA-raadslid Chris MacPherson nie.
Oor die verregaande vergrype van die Eden DA-burgemeester, Wessie van der Westhuizen, is AfriForum stil.
Hoe dan nou, Pieter!?
Earlier Lottering responded to a media enquiry on his alleged involvement with CWC Helderberg Protection, a concern providing security services to the municipality:
C. W. C. Helderberg Protection is ‘n alleeneienaarsaak van me Linda Williams. Die DA regering van me Dianne de Jager het die firma in 2010 aangestel toe mnr Trevor Botha die waarnemende munisipale bestuurder was, en mnr Walter Hendricks die direkteur gemeenskapsdienste. Beide hierdie amptenare is deur die DA-raad aangestel en werk tans in die DA-beheerde George-munisipaliteit.
Lottering’s full statement on AfriForum’s charges reads as follows:
Die aankondiging van Afriforum dat hy ‘n saak van bedrog, korrupsie en finansiële wanbestuur teen my aanhangig gemaak het kom as ‘n verrassing omdat ek geen aanduiding van dié burgerregtegroep se beskuldigings gehad het nie – nadat beweringe van ongerymdhede tydens ‘n vergadering op 1 Maart vanjaar tussen die munisipaliteit, die nasionale tesourie en Afriforum geen gronde vir sulke aanklagte kon identifiseer nie.
Ek verwelkom enige en alle navrae oor die bestuur van die Munisipaliteit Oudtshoorn.
Korrupsie van enige aard en in alle omgewings moet verhoed word; en uitgeroei word waar dit bestaan.
Ek moedig die publiek ook aan om beweerde korrupsie en ongerymdhede onder die aandag van die tersaaklike gesagstrukture te bring.
In die teenswoordige saak wat Afriforum aanhangig gemaak het sal ek my volle samewerking gee.
Afriforum se Oudtshoorn-voorsitter, mnr George Kersop, sê in die verklaring dat die ANC-koalisie onstabiliteit veroorsaak met vertragingstegnieke, en dié onstabiliteit gebruik om die munisipaliteit se geldkoffers te stroop.
Kersop se feite is duidelik so skeef soos sy aantygings en verdien skaars die erkenning van ‘n reaksie. Ek onthou dat Kersop op 1 Maart verklaar het dat hy die DA-raadslede sou verteenwoordig. Hy is kennelik dronk aan die stookwyn van sy meesters.
Kersop wil ook geld verhaal van “die bedrieërs”. Bid jou aan. Aanklaer, regter, én laksman; netjies uitgevat in ‘n goedkoop aandpak van vooroordeel. Afriforum se hoof van plaaslike regeringsake, Pieter Rautenbach, beweer dat mense wat op Cederberg en Stellenbosch by “ongerymdhede” betrokke was, ook op Oudtshoorn by ongerymdhede betrokke is.
Ek wil spoedeisend verneem waar Afriforum aan sy inligting kom.
Die betaling van R482 000 op 25 September waaroor Afriforum ten hemele skreeu is allermins ongerymd. Ek het die ondersteunende dokumentasie persoonlik nagegaan en teenprestasie bevestig! Dat hierdie bepaalde betaling aandag trek is ‘n gruwelike aanklag teen Afriforum en die partye wat die plaaslike voorsitter kwansuis verteenwoordig.
Ek wil ook graag weet watter Afriforum-kundige betalings wat “R5 miljoen” beloop as “verdag” verklaar het.
My administrasie word gekenmerk deur robuuste beheermaatreels en ek kon vandag geen aanduiding van bedrog, korrupsie of finansiële wanbestuur kry nie.
Die spesiale konsultant van die waarnemende hoof finansiële beampte verteenwoordig ‘n laaste sterk skakel in die ketting van fiskale beheer in die munisipaliteit: Enige funksionaris kan op enige stadium van die betalingsregime ‘n skriftelike beswaar aanteken oor enige betaling – selfs al is dit deur senior beamptes goedgekeur. Ek kon nie ‘n enkele sodanige beswaar opspoor nie.
As enige funksionaris in die betalingsregime ongerymdheid oorsien sal daar onverbiddelik teen die persoon opgetree word.
Ek verneem graag van Afriforum hoe die beweerde R5 miljoen wat glo goedsmoeds vermors is opgemaak is; en wié betaal is sonder dat dienste of produkte gelewer is!
Ek het geen versoek om inligting te bekom ontvang nie en ek kan dus nie op Afriforum se data pyltrek nie – én ek wil weet hóé Afriforum die inligting bekom het.
Sou dié inligting nie spoedeisend aan my bekend gemaak word nie, sal ek stappe teen Afriforum oorweeg – ek sal nie toelaat dat my administrasie willens en wetens beswadder en ondermyn word nie.
← Bredell goes back to CourtWednesday’s Court battle →	9 thoughts on “AfriForum musters”	Die hele nag says:	2013/10/08 at 21:42	Op dinsdag die 08/10/2013 het Afri forum darem hulle rieme styf vas geloop in hul gemeenskaps vergadering te Aurial college. Ons bruin mense stem lankal nie meer net met alles saam nie. Gert het duidelik gewys dat hy die D-A se puppet is. Pierre was somme lekka op sy plek gesit deur mr Meirring oor sy slapgattigheid in wyk 1. n Blanke man het sommer die vergadering verlaat na daar kretiek gelewer was deur Icosa se spreukbuis Emile Cupido, toe hy die politiek as wyseging wou gebruik vir chaos in die dorp. Nog n Icosa dame het haar mond gerek oor die onreel matige vergadering. Die ANC sespreukbuis Vernon het ook sy stem laat hoor toe Pierre Nel wille keurige aantuigings maak teen mnr N. Pietersen en net daar breuk daar chaos uit en bye bye Afri forum vir n mislukte poging.
Sceptic says:	2013/10/07 at 10:26	Afriforum is indeed being extremely selective. This however is certainly their choice as to which matters to pursue and which not? I think their decisions are obviously politically motivated, and again, that is their choice, the will have to live with the consequences of their choices. As for me, I believe if you want to point out corruption as a concerned citizen or orginisation, you should point out ALL corruption, otherwise, you become a political party, or at the very least a puppet of a party. In my eyes, Afriforum has NO credibility whatsoever. Having said that, and as an add on to the idea, to me it makes no difference of someone stole R140,00 or a R140 million. The person’s character remains that of a dishonest thief. That of course I must qualify by saying IF they indeed steal it. Let us first wait and see whether the Court will find anyone guilty or not.
tony says:	2013/10/06 at 19:36	@ alleycat – “As I have mentioned previously, selectivity is the wont of OO`s reporting” – now now, play nice!
tony says:	2013/10/06 at 19:34	April’s R140.00 (one hundred and forty rand) alleged theft is trumpeted… The alleged fraud of the Oudtshoorn DA Councillors in an amount of some R4.5m remains untouched by AfriForum hands……
perhaps its too big for them, or theres nothing in it for them, or they are really parochial little fish waving a flag to big for them to handle….. makes you wonder, doesn’t it? but I couldn’t care less since I don’t like them to start with..
investigative public says:	2013/10/06 at 17:31	OO, klink of Afriforum hulself hier met n plank gaan slaan. Hul het al heelwat goeie werk gedoen in die verlede, maar selektiwiteit gaan hul beeld skaad, dis n gegewe.
Beveg altyd die korrupte en onwaarhede en laat die gevolge sy gang gaan ! Sterkte OO !
Alleycat says:	2013/10/06 at 14:35	Where there is smoke there is fire and each and every case should be treated on its own. Just as the DA, Afriform are selective in their attacks, so too is the ANC.One cannot compare appels with bananas as is what I read above. As I have mentioned previously, selectivity is the wont of OO`s reporting.
andrew says:	2013/10/05 at 22:47	Hoekom het Afriforum/boerforum of Herstigte Nasionale Party/ Konserwatiewe Party nie ‘n kriminele saak teen Teflon Wessie gemaak nie? Onthou julle hoe julle gekant was teen die vrylating van Mandela en andere en die 1996 Grondwet? Nou praat julle ook van “grondwetlike regte”, nogal!
tony says:	2013/10/05 at 08:33	They say ‘perception is reality’ and in my opinion, AFRIFORUM are just a bunch of opportunists taking advantage of the nationwide municipal mayhem.
Afriform is perceived as a predominantly right-wing, Afrikaaner, christian, bunch of lawyers who, serve as a thinly veiled front for the Solidarity Party and who’s sole modus operandi is, for the most part, reactionary in nature, relying on tip-offs and rumour to further their own agenda.
When municipal stuff lands up in court, which is what Afriform is all about, who pays? WE DO! As rate payers we pay for everything. Do you think the municipal actors give a damn over how much the legal bills come to while they fight to save their jobs. The fact is that regardless of the outcome, we pay and at the end of the day the only real victim is SERVICE DELIVERY, the only thing the municipality exists for in the first place.
It’s a sad thing to say but Afriforum reminds me of the Nazi party who prior to WW2 were seen by the uprooted and disheartened masses in germany at the time, as a solution to their national defeat under the terms of the Treaty of Versaille which left the average german feeling much the same then, as the average white Afrikaaner feels today living under the ANC.
So, for my part, I would sooner deal with the problem face to face and man to man than support an organisation (read: front) who’s origin and agenda are as unclear as theirs.
Afriforum, what ever they may say or do does not get my vote!
ronnie prins says:	2013/10/05 at 08:25	Die inhoud van die skrywe gedateer 2 Oktober 2013 gerig aan Rautenbach moet ook op die agenda van AfriForum vir bespreking verskyn.Dan sal daar nie meer sitplek oor wees vir Oudtshoorn gemeenskap nie en ‘n ander venue sal dan gereel moet word.Al Oudtshoorn se raadslede sal dan ook geskiedenis maak deurdat almal dan teenwoordig sal wees.Huidiglik en met baie respek gese is dit maar nou net weer ‘n DA gedrewe agenda.Ek hoop van harte hierdie uitdaging word aanvaar en die wysiging word so aangebring op agenda.