Comments on: True confessions of a liberal politico

By: Avishkar Govender

Avishkar Govender — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:47:21 +0000

interesting… in March 2006 the DA won the Cape Town elections. in May 2006 a catalogue of the literature pertaining to Cape Town’s URP is presented to Council. in June 2006…A Review of Literature Emanating from and Related to the City Of Cape Town’s Urban Renewal Programme is commissioned by: City Of Cape Town Information and Knowledge Management Department and City Of Cape Town Urban Renewal Programme. and it is prepared by: InfoWizz Information Services, which provides Business Data Solutions at P O Box 366, Woodstock, Cape Town, 7915 * Phone: 083 293 4235 * Email: rpillay@infowizz.net * Website: http://www.infowizz.net/

let me say categorically that i have read this literature review and must now ask why a metro council commissioned either the catalogue or the review when these are skills taught in undergrad Research Methods courses and every Civil Servant in the City of Cape Town with a university degree should be able to do this work. So why wud we need to spend the taxpayers money doing what our political secretaries and civil servants are able to do by themselves as part of their jobs?

unless we are dealing with civil servants who have differential learning abilities and from the rather cursory lit review, im going along with that.

in the future the DA will continue to ensure that were not wasting money like this – to tender wallahs everywhere – its tough, your mandarin days are over !!!

By: Avishkar Govender

Avishkar Govender — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:11:19 +0000

with all due respect, this is not a public forum it is my thoughtleader blog. and i will take that doublespeak to confirm what i suspect. moreover, it would behove you to know that I disapprove in the extreme of any contractor or licensee holding more than 1 contract with the state (or any part of it) at one time – thats cos we have to SHARE the national wealth and the opportunity of easy work – given that the govt work has low expectations and is overpaid. but most of all let me say that when i become a politician in the next few years the first thing i am going to do is rid SA of the tender wallahs and the service providers – cos if we employ civil servants they shud b able to do the work without consultants. also we will boot these leeches who derive the bulk of their income from the state in one form or another – theyre the real cause of inflation. if u are an expert on something – go work at a university – setup a new research centre – do consulting work that way – we all give free advice – ur suggesting that you have more competence than the current contractors… i say stuff like that cos i can and its factually true… why do u?

By: Rani

Rani — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:19:07 +0000

Avishkar, at no time did I say that I believe that I have a right to supply the state in perpetuity. However, I have a national reputation as a leader in my area of work, I’m a highly qualified black businesswoman with a long list of credentials of successful work. I am very highly regarded in my field, and when I suddenly stop winning contracts only at the City of Cape Town, I am forced to question this. My former clients (from several different departments at the City) still call me for free consulting advice, but tell me that they have enormous difficulty in appointing black companies – and my company is 100% black-owned and staffed.
I will not reveal my details to you or anyone else in a public forum. Like most black people in SA, I support my nuclear family, my staff, several members of my extended family, and several members of my staff’s extended family – in Cape Town. I live in the real world, and I cannot afford to do anything to endanger my work.

By: avishkar govender

avishkar govender — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:14:13 +0000

I have no idea why the DA denied me membership (a year ago), they didnt say and i didnt ask, altho i have indicated that i will be appealing their decision, at some point in the future.

I think it may have something to do with the fact that i worked in the DA’s election office before going off to become associated with a number of other parties before applying to join the DA… even in the corporate world there are these restraint of trade and cooling off periods etc.

Re: Cape Town and the DA – i have lambasted the DA for what i perceive to be a class orientated approach to development – however i am also led to believe that there has since 2006 been an influx of business people buying homes and setting up offices in Cape Town, from Jhb. that in itself tells you that the DA has won the hearts and minds of a group of people, who have been disappointed by the ANC

Are their reactionary and racist elements in the DA? yes, but do they tell me what to do, NO – i dictate to them, but the ANC, IFP, COPE and other parties have reactionary and racist elements as well… the arrogance of black power nationalism far outclases the insecurity of white enclavist paranoia, in terms of the number of people who get ignored by the state.

By: avishkar govender

avishkar govender — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:03:57 +0000

@ Cape Town Consulting Contractor… i will say no more, offended as i am, other than that my postal address is PO Box 48245 Qualbert 4078, send me an affidavit that says that neither you nor any of your associates have any relationship of any sort with any person(s) directly or indirectly connected with government, political parties or the civil and public service – that none of the revenue received from these contracts have ever benefited anyone (directly or indirectly) in a manner which could be construed to have contributed to having induced them to award contracts to you and yours in the first instance – and i will ask the Executive Mayor of Cape Town to explain why your firms are not winning tenders.

On the other hand it is important to remember that no-one has any right to supply the state in perpetuity and that in fact everyone should get the opportunity to participate – so on what basis are u complaining about the “loss” of business – surely you have no inalienable right to the work?

you will note that i have never been associated with a single tender, bid, application or any other thing that in any way would have put me in line to get paid by the state… even when i developed the WNPC plan i gave it to the people of SA for free. i think its called civic responsibility…

By: avishkar govender

avishkar govender — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:56:59 +0000

@ Rani, “Stop thinking like a child Avishkar. You’re inconsistent and wishy-washy…” – really? are you being serious? it must be difficult to see that Im being childish in demanding that organisations which print the ThiruVasagam should practice the principles of Manicka Vasagar… no wait, that logic and belief is from the Thiru Kural… as produced by the Thiru Valluvar Centre (NPO) which i founded in 2004 at the age of 25

so tell me, when i have a list of 73 Tamil Business people (contracters if you will) who have clearly paid bribes, inducements and incentives to people in government, the civil service, the ANC and the IFP – what should i do?

and since i dont accuse people without iron-clad evidence and since i at the time was an ANC activist – when i asked the ANC to take a stand on the issue of corruption in the community – why did they fail to do so?

for the record – i dont believe that a city council or provincial and national departments should outsource anything (even physical and production items can be provided internally) – certainly we have no need for consultants – between government, political parties and universities we dont need tender wallahs and consultants

By: Kurt

Kurt — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:17:25 +0000

@Avishkar – why did the DA deny you membership?

@Duncan – what results did the DA get? The only major city that they have run is Cape Town. The recent survey by Accelerate Cape Town shows that in the 3 years that the the DA has run Cape Town, there has been a flight of big business from the City. It also found that black people feel more isolated and unwelcome in the city.

The DA claims to be a business friendly party. Their economic policy is tied to its pro-business and anti-state intervention stance, and yet in the one place that they control, they are chasing business away. This sounds like failure to me.

They also claim to be building a South Africa for all, and yet in the 3 years they have run the City, black people (Indian, Coloured and African) feel more isolated and unwelcome. They have suceeded in building a South Africa for a few – who happen to be white.

And don’t get me started on the way they invest. Have you seen the investment going into areas like Seapoint vs. the investment going into the townships. Cape Town’s townships look like apartheid didn’t end. I actually have the minutes of a Cape Town Council meeting were senior DA councillors say that we must do less in the poor areas and more in the affluent areas.

What about cronyism and the apointment of Helen Zille friends for lucrative contracts from the City?

By: Rani

Rani — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 06:31:19 +0000

I find this post deeply disturbing. I’m a woman of Tamil Indian ancestry, who has lived in Cape Town since the mid-1990s. I am a professional with more than 2 decades experience in my field. who consults to both the ANC-led provincial govt and the DA-led City. Since the DA took over the City in 2006, I have lost over 80% of my contracts, and so have most of the black-owned SMMEs I work with. Black-owned SMMEs are now having to put up white fronts to win contracts at the City! The new City leadership is predominantly white male, and increasingly conservative. The political involvement within the administration is shocking. Jobs and contracts for friends is rife.
The ANC-led provincial government is indeed a home for all. I’ve never been made to feel my race there. Instead, I get treated as a professional who has value to offer. Contracts are won by people of all races, including white. The ANC MECs I have worked with (at least 4) are committed and dedicated to resolving the internal battles and focusing on positive change for all.
Stop thinking like a child Avishkar. You’re inconsistent and wishy-washy. And for God’s sake be careful of what you wish for. Also, stop wielding your Indianess like a weapon. Commit to a shared African identity, and vote for the party that offers the most to most South Africans. That’s the ANC.

By: Avishkar Govender

Avishkar Govender — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 07:05:40 +0000

of course the irony of a liberal seeking totalitarianism is wasted on my readers it seems

naturally it is only in a liberal party, where a volunteer activist can voice political ambition without being excised – id like to see new members of the ANC, IFP, MF, ACDP, FF+, UDM, ID etc etc etc declaring that they will be contesting the next party leadership race…

oh wait thats right u cant do that in a personality cult, ummh i mean in a leader driven political party which is all about the one person – thankfully the liberal DA is a party which encourages ambition and excellence from every DA supporter

By: Nad Ko

Nad Ko — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:26:48 +0000

@Noko – Think again – think McCauly!