Journey of the promised post

GEORGE NEWS - A two-and-a-half-year old thought-provoking letter concerning George, started doing the rounds last week, adding to the dark clouds gathering over the DA's blue sky.

This letter, dated 17 March 2017, was sent from the DA's former federal executive chairperson, James Selfe, to George Mayor Melvin Naik.

In a nutshell, Selfe asked Naik to clarify comments made by the George DA councillor, Leon van Wyk, regarding a post he was promised back in 2016 after the local elections, that never materialised.

According to Van Wyk, a qualified chartered accountant with 30 years' experience in corporate finance, industrial development and investments, the plan was to appoint him in a senior position in the office of the municipal manager.

He was to leave politics and move over to play a key role in investment promotions and the development of an economic strategy which would create employment opportunities and boost the overall economic growth of the city.

James Selfe

Waiting in vain

Van Wyk initially shared his thoughts on economic growth with the previous mayor, Charles Standers, and had the same conversations with Naik when he took over in August 2016. In Selfe's letter he details an incident described by Van Wyk, which took place two days after the election. Naik apparently asked Van Wyk if he still wished to pursue the investment promotion role.

In the letter Selfe quotes Van Wyk: "He [Naik] was due to meet the municipal manager on the Monday where he would put the appointment process in motion. He would therefore not include me [Van Wyk] in the Mayco. In the weeks thereafter the mayor also excluded me from all portfolio committees and other committees similarly indicating intent about the role that I was to fulfil."

Van Wyk waited in vain for movement towards this goal. "I worked for three weeks, day and night, on a strategy for promoting investments," he told the George Herald.

He applied for the advertised post, but no interviews where held and no appointments made.

Van Wyk said the DA leaders were kept in the loop throughout the process and backed the idea.

"When nothing transpired, a lot of questions were asked. Another meeting was held months later between myself, the mayor and the municipal manager. It was decided to drive the process from the political side - as it is done in the City of Cape Town - and appoint me in the mayor's office. This would be in line with the DA's approach to driving economic development in terms of their manifesto. None of these plans were implemented. It became clear to me that they did not want the programme," said Van Wyk.

"I suffered a loss of income, but George has lost opportunities in terms of increased economic activity and job creation. It is a systematic process. When Premier Alan Winde started with the Western Cape's economic opportunity drive in 2009, I met with him and we shared our thoughts. It is now ten years later and one can see the difference in the Western Cape. It is on that basis that we must build our economy."

Leon van Wyk