GEORGE NEWS - A report by Municipal Manager Trevor Botha reveals that provincial transport officials have been ordered to cease all contact or involvement with local officials of the George Integrated Public Transport Network (GIPTN), the network in charge of Go George.
In the report Botha says the provincial team has been instructed to only resume communication once the breach in the mediation process between Province and the George Municipality is resolved. The failed mediation follows months of internal strife between municipal officials involved in the running of Go George and their colleagues from Province. To date the mediation and related processes - paid for by Province - have cost in the region of R15-m.
The Head of Communications of the Provincial Department of Transport, Jandré Bakker, confirmed his department had raised concerns regarding its relationship with the municipality. "We believe that the inter governmental agreement (IGA) is not being adhered to," said Bakker.
Real risk
In a report in the possession of some George councillors, Botha says the "very real possibility of a provincial exit from the GIPTN, following the cessation of the mediation process and the ongoing bad faith demonstrated by (name withheld, Ed) and other officials, place the municipality and Go George at significant risk". He cautions that the withdrawal of the provincial support staff and the consultants of Go George will result in capacity shortages.
The delayed roll-out of the service to Thembalethu puts the financial support of Go George through the Public Transport Network Grant at risk. "The Thembalethu roll-out [should Province withdraw] will have to be postponed indefinitely," Botha writes.
Jordaan vs Botha
Botha's warnings follow an incident report by Chief Financial Officer Keith Jordaan dated 4 May 2018. In it Jordaan claims the Auditor General (AG) raised questions regarding the legality of so-called prepayments made to Province by George Municipality. An item is to serve before council later this month in which Jordaan asks that Botha and the Director of Protection Services, Steven Erasmus, be investigated because of these payments.
Botha denies that the AG questioned the legality of the payments, saying the AG quoted from an inaccurate draft report by a legal consultant prematurely handed to him by Jordaan.
Two subsequent legal opinions have rejected the first report as incorrect - the last opinion was obtained from a legal firm jointly decided upon by all roll-players.
George Municipal Manager Trevor Botha
Robust debate
Botha also questions the motive behind Jordaan's complaint as according to Botha, Jordaan was part of "a robust debate on this issue during a meeting on 26 March 2018". Botha attached an extract from the transcript of the meeting to his report quoting Jordaan saying he is comfortable with the arrangements of the reimbursement.
Questions in this regard put to Jordaan via the George Municipality communications department remained unanswered as did a question to the Municipal Public Transport Oversight Official Lee-Anne Meiring. George Herald wanted to know if there is any truth to the allegation that she wants to head up the GIPTN without any input by Province. Botha is on vacation until the beginning of July and could not be reached for comment.
Manager of Communications Chantel Edwards-Klose said the municipality did not receive any formal notice that any party to the GIPTN agreement wants to exit from the project. She said the municipality stays committed to their contractual obligations.
Payment process
Funding for Go George comes from the Public Transport Network Grant - a conditional grant from the national government. Transport's Bakker said Province provides financial support to the municipality for the transport system and the municipality reimburses the department from income received from users of the service.
In a 2015 e-mail exchange between Jordaan and other top George officials it would appear that this payment process has been followed since the inception of Go George.
On top of all the drama, the Go George operating company George Link, has not received payment for April. In a statement to George Herald the George Link Board of Directors said they have already instigated a process regarding this failure and trust they will receive payment shortly.
George Link has not been advised that Province may exit, but say Province has the operational and contract management expertise on other similar projects in the Western Cape. "Without provincial financial support, Go George would be at risk."
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