Durban - Will Knysna’s anti-corruption activist Mike Hampton who authored “Same Shit, Different Government” be allowed a fair trial in the Western Cape High Court on Monday? If not, he will go to prison for publishing his book which exposes corruption within the Democratic Alliance (DA).
Hampton, whose book provides evidence of the corruption, linking several leading DA figures and administrative staff, was found guilty of contravening court orders that was granted to the DA, one of which stops him from publishing his book.
Independent Media’s special investigation unit was given access to piles of documents and audio recordings which was used as evidence in Hampton's book, but will reveal the details in a follow-up article.
Hampton told Independent Media that he had no choice but to break one interdict and five protection orders to release his book and blog, this after the court had ordered that his website be removed and his book not be published, without looking at it and before his appearance to defend himself, he said.
"I had no choice and did this in the public’s interest and now I have been prosecuted for exposing the DA. If I am denied a trial on Monday, they will jail me and silence me.
“The court ordered that I be imprisoned for three months for my contravention of an interdict granted to the DA over publishing information in the public’s interest. I expect that term will be longer as I have committed to other contraventions to warn the public, a consequence of government’s failure to act.
“I've asked for the court to grant me representation, and to rescind the contempt order. If the court does not hear my recission then I will go to jail for publishing this book that gives evidence of the DA’s corruption, " he explained.
“People need to be warned that the DA is deeply involved in the corruption that is ripping the heart out of our country. The DA has made terrible effort to silence me and my book. There is also lots of intimidation from them (DA) and they even ran propaganda campaigns against me, one of which include claims of child abuse.
“The DA also compiled a fake psychiatric diagnosis of me as a sociopath who is a danger to children, signed by Dr Martin Young who was then a DA councillor. It was distributed online. Their social media campaign to discredit me lasted years.”
Hampton explained that he has since been falsely associated with mental disorders, child abuse, a missing child and the destruction of Knysna’s economy, because of the DA’s campaigns to rid him and said he has failed to get justice on the matter for more than ten years as the DA is “too powerful”.
“I’ve exposed crime implicating leading DA figures, national government staff, and local politicians and administrators. My value as a witness outweighs me writing a book exposing crime, yet I am being treated as a criminal. I want my evidence thoroughly investigated and the crooked punished.”
Most of the illegal activities pointed out in the book is done by provincial and national leaders and occurs in Knysna within the tourism and property development industry, Hampton explained.
“Those who are implicated in various corruptions that I have exposed, include DA MP Eleanore Spies, ex-Knysna Deputy Mayor Esme Edge, ex-Speaker Richard Dawson, ex-Councillor Martin Young, ex-DA Candidate and ex-municipal staff Advocate Julie Seton, ex-DA Candidate Magda Moos, Sedgefield Fire Station Commander Wayne Sternsdorf, ex-Knysna Tourism CEO Greg Vogt, and friends of previous Knysna Tourism CEO Shaun van Eck, Baden Hall and Mark Allan,” he said.
Hampton’s book further fingers premier Alan Winde and MEC Anton Bredell over the appointment of several private companies, illegally funding them with public funds despite no tender processes conducted, the unlawful appointment of Dawie Adonis as director of community services along with alleged graft complaints, and that of the Great Knysna Fire which led to R480 million in litigation.
The DA's Knysna coalition partner, Velile Waxa, is also fingered in the book, as the prime suspect in organising the assassination of Knysna ANC Chief Whip Victor Molosi on 23 July 2018, among other matters exposed, Hampton revealed.
Hampton said he had laid a complaint against those implicated in his book to both the DA top structures and their former speaker of the WC provincial parliament Sharna Gail Fernandez, who both acknowledged it, but never acted.
“The DA has failed to act on my complaints since 2010. They blocked me and chose concealment. That gave impunity to those involved and emboldened more wrongdoing.
“The DA attacked me with Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) AND buried me in court cases that I have been unable to defend without money and lawyers.”
He said the Knysna Magistrates Court has also expressed clear bias, refusing him evidence and witnesses.
“In one case, I was denied entry to the courtroom, found guilty via email. The magistrates commission failed to act on my complaint that involves many questionable circumstances, and the DA has been allowed to abuse the Protection from Harassment Act as a cheap gag order.
Hampton went on a hunger strike on 16 May 2019 for a period of 94 days where he lost 22kg. He said he had paused his hunger strike because the government would not respond, and the mainstream media would not report on the DA’s corruption.
“If I am jailed, I will go on a hunger strike again so that I am solely the government’s responsibility,” he warned.
After several emails, SMS’s and calls, the DA did not comment on the matter by the time of publishing.
Investigations Unit