North West Parks' board CEO defends 'irregular' spending & Hunter wins 25-year game park contract

[RogerFraser]

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/ ... 20170730-2

Abram Mashego and Poloko Tau-City Press
The chief executive officer of the North West Parks Board has been accused of irregularly promoting his former girlfriend, spending almost R1m on the production of a 10-minute YouTube promotional video and defying the State Security Agency’s warning against appointing a foreign national to a key post.

The allegations, raised by staff members, are contained in a leaked dossier detailing problems in the management of the province’s wildlife and nature reserves.

The document reveals that parks board CEO Mothobi Mothobi’s ex-girlfriend, Palesa Bodutu, who was previously a research officer reporting directly to him, was recently appointed general manager for ecotourism.

In his defence, Mothobi said that, if he had not appointed Bodutu, he would have been accused of stifling her progress because he was bitter that their relationship had ended.

He added that Bodutu was “highly qualified and had met requirements”.

The document said he also demanded that R488 000 be paid to Mokgothu Communications for securing the appearance of four celebrities in a 10-minute YouTube video that cost about R760 000.

Mothobi said the money paid for the celebrities’ appearance was worth it.

“The use of celebrities as endorsements has generated positive income for the board,” he said, but did not elaborate.

The document alleged that he also promoted his close associate, Edward Sekgarametso, to contracts manager without his having interviewed for the position, and that he appointed Sekgarametso’s sister-in-law – alleged to be a citizen of Botswana – to a senior position despite the State Security Agency advising that she could only be employed if no South African qualified for the position.

The dossier further revealed that Mothobi had motivated for Africa Travel Channel to be paid more for advertising, including just over R306 000 for three more promotional videos.

Mothobi insisted that no other company could produce videos of the same quality.

However the parks board’s former finance head, Gys van der Merwe, refused to make the payments, describing them as “irregular expenditure” because the “supply chain process had not been followed”.

Mothobi eventually overruled Van der Merwe by instructing another employee to process the payments.

Van der Merwe also labelled as irregular the appointment of law firms (at R1m) for internal disciplinary cases.

Mothobi argued that the decision to outsource had been made because of a lack of capacity within the board’s legal division and that the law firms were “selected from a panel of short-listed service providers”.

However, City Press has seen internal notices of the appointments of at least four law firms that state that they were appointed at the recommendation of the CEO.

Mothobi accused Van der Merwe of having no problem paying white service providers whose “contracts started in the early 2000s and had no end date”.

“Van der Merwe paid more than R16m to a white-owned game counting company over six years, despite preferential procurement legislation.

"He further failed to bill concessionary amounts due to the board and insisted on writing off amounts owed to the state,” Mothobi said.

Van der Merwe said he was not authorised to sign contracts above R500 000 – “that is done by the CEO”.

[Alf]

Typical

[Richprins]

In his defence, Mothobi said that, if he had not appointed Bodutu, he would have been accused of stifling her progress because he was bitter that their relationship had ended.

Sad, this logic, really.

And then the race card:

Mothobi accused Van der Merwe of having no problem paying white service providers whose “contracts started in the early 2000s and had no end date”.

“Van der Merwe paid more than R16m to a white-owned game counting company over six years, despite preferential procurement legislation.

Typical, as Alf says.

[Flutterby]

[Lisbeth]

The usual mess

[Richprins]

Presumably Mothobi will instantly institute legal action against Vd Merwe for this gross misconduct, which has now surfaced in Mothobi's mind after many years suddenly?

[RogerFraser]

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/ ... t-20170923
Hunter wins 25-year game park contract

Poloko Tau-City Press

The North West Parks Board has conservationists worried after it awarded a 25-year contract for the co-management of a state-owned game reserve to a company specialising in trophy hunting and stuffing animals.

The board’s now-suspended chief executive Mothobi Mothobi allegedly signed the controversial contract in July, empowering a professional hunter’s company, Wild West Safari, to co-manage Molopo Nature Reserve, which is situated along the Botswana border.

The allegations are contained in documents that include a letter to the provincial parks board from acting head of conservation Pieter Nel, as well as tender documents and the finalised contract.

In July, City Press reported that Mothobi had allegedly irregularly promoted his former girlfriend, spent almost R1m producing a 10-minute YouTube promotional video, and defied the State Security Agency’s warning against appointing a foreign national to a key post.

The news about the contract surfaced barely a month after a parliamentary portfolio committee condemned the North West department of rural, environment and agricultural development’s decision to donate R100m worth of game animals to farms owned by politically connected individuals.

The tender advertisement specified a four-year ­co-management contract, but the contract was awarded for 25 years instead.

Beyond that, parks board officials told City Press they were worried that the contract may commercialise the Molopo Nature Reserve and compromise its conservation mandate.

One conservationist said that, while trophy hunting was allowed under strict regulations and animals were slaughtered for biltong in some game reserves, the signed contract with Wild West Safari stated that, as co-managers, the company and the parks board “may allow hunting or culling”.

It further stated that Wild West Safari would be expected to “develop a tourism and hunting strategy for the park”, and the company should “expose the park to international hunters and marketing platforms like the annual Dallas Safari Club in America”.

In its submitted document of expression of interest, Wild West Safari made it clear that its main business was hunting, with its co-owner, Tommy van Vuuren, boasting years of experience with foreign clients.

The company also stated that it did not have property or a farm where it could operate “to realise its business goal in [the] safari and hunting sector”.

A parks board official said they were now worried the company was “making it clear where their interest lies and the question now is, where does it leave conservation?

“How do you give a contract to a company that specialises in killing animals for trophies and say to them, we entrust you with taking care of the very same animals you see as nothing but dollars and pounds?”

Meanwhile, Nel registered his concerns with authorities and asked contracts manager Edward Sekgarametso how Wild West Safari was appointed without his department’s knowledge, a fact that he found “highly disturbing”.

Sekgarametso has apparently not responded to Nel’s questions.

Van Vuuren said his company had always showed interest in being involved at Molopo Nature Reserve.

“For two years, we have been sending proposals to the parks board and we did the same when the contract went out on tender. I believe any other interested parties submitted their bids,” he said.

“There is nothing fishy about the contract. We got it fairly. It is also not all about hunting, but tourism through which the community will also benefit.”

Emelda Setlhako, spokesperson for the North West environment department, said two service providers participated in the tender that was awarded to Wild West Safari after an evaluation.

She said hunting was already taking place in three parks, namely Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve, Molopo Nature Reserve and Botsalano Game Reserve.

“The parks are allocated to the successful bidders and logistical arrangements are done through the park. Field rangers accompany the hunting parties and verify animals hunted,” Setlhako said, adding that hunting packages were sold via a tender process or through public auction.

[Lisbeth]

There is no money in conservation, especially if you are not interested, in trophy hunting there is....lots, unfortunately Some people are still living the way of life of 2 centuries ago

[Richprins]

Donation of animals from NW Environmental Affairs Dept under scrutiny

After investigating, Members of Parliament (MPs) concluded there's prima facie evidence that the donation didn't follow procedures.


Rahima Essop | about 3 hours ago

CAPE TOWN - North West provincial officials are not commenting on an order from Parliament to reverse a controversial donation of wildlife that was part of an empowerment project.

According to media reports, politically connected business people benefitted from the provincial Environmental Affairs Department's donation of around a R100 million worth of animals that included sable antelopes and buffaloes.

After investigating, Members of Parliament (MPs) concluded there's prima facie evidence that the donation didn't follow procedures.

The environmental affairs portfolio committee wants MEC Manketse Tlhape to reverse the donation to the South African Rare Game Breeders Holdings.

The committee's findings will now be sent to the National Assembly for adoption.

Tlhape's department claims the donation was given to a "transformational partnership" consisting of breeders and entrepreneurs.

Her department's spokesperson Emelda Sethlako is not commenting on the committee's decision.

“We only saw the media releases, but we are still waiting for that report.”

The committee's chairperson Philemon Mapulane says the anomalies are severe enough to warrant a probe by the Auditor-General and National Treasury.

MPs will also get legal advice about whether to refer the matter to law enforcement agencies.


http://ewn.co.za/2017/10/30/donation-of ... r-scrutiny

[Lisbeth]

Never known such a messy, poorly organized bureaucracy as the South African one. I suppose that it is done deliberately........