Following storms of protest against Sanral’s GFIP e-tolling scheme, it is now alleged that Mr Nazir Alli acted contrary to policy and good corporate governance principles to manipulate Sanral’s board of directors to take a decision that exposed Sanral to unacceptable risk with respect to a proposed N2 Wild Coast Toll Road concession.

Social worker John Clarke lodged the complaint in his professional capacity having worked with vulnerable and disadvantaged rural residents on the Pondoland Wild Coast over the past six years.

The N2 Wild Coast Toll Road has been fraught with controversy for over a decade, because of concerns that the Sanral preferred alignment favoured the mining of heavy mineral deposits along the Wild Coast, threatened the unique biodiversity of the Pondoland Centre of Endemism and alienated the communal land rights of the indigenous amaMpondo residents.

Civil society has, at considerable cost and effort, rallied to support the local communities of the Wild Coast, who have recently lodged a high court application in the North Gauteng High Court for the Environmental Authorisation of N2 Wild Coast short cut to be set aside.

“The founding affidavit argues that the N2 environmental authorisation was illegal for a host of reasons, but recent revelations from a former senior executive member of Sanral, whom I have interviewed, suggests that the development agreement between Sanral and the N2 Wild Coast Consortium (WCC) fell far short of transport policy requirements” Clarke says.

In 2000/2001 Mr Alli strongly advocated for Sanral’s board to accept the Unsolicited Bid received from the consortium of six construction and engineering companies.  A Development Agreement was negotiated to establish a Public Private Partnership venture, but recent revelations cast doubt on the integrity of the entire process.

Additional Background

Clarke explained that social workers are under professional obligation to challenge social injustice.

“In the light of the recent high court decisions with respect to the Sanral e-Tolling project, I believe the perceived injustices surrounding the N2 Wild Coast Toll Road and Xolobeni Mineral Sands venture now beg serious attention.  I had long suspected that there were some irregularities with the Public Private Partnership agreement between Sanral and the WCC, but Mr Alli refused my application made under the Promotion of Access to Information Act in 2006 for a copy.

Following my recent article in the media commenting on the e-Tolling controversy, further information has been forthcoming that warrants a forensic investigation by the Public Protector.  It would appear that the decision made by Sanral’s board over ten years ago to invest treasury revenue in order to bring the scheme within commercial reach of the WCC’s bid to construct the green-fields section of the N2 shortcut via the Pondoland Wild Coast, was highly irregular and contrary to policy.”

It is a strict principal that any decision to invest taxpayers money in Public Private Partnership (PPP) ventures must be backed up with sound data on the long term economic benefit to the nation, beyond the usual 30 year tolling concession for a Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) PPP deal.

The first EIA report was found wanting in 2004 by the Minister of Environment because of a conflict of interest with respect to the independence of the environmental consultant, but Sanral was permitted to redo the EIA and re-submitted the proposal in 2009.  The local residents objected to the proposal at every opportunity provided, but the Minister of Environment ultimately dismissed objections from local residents in November 2011, provoking the current High Court application.

On 23rd April 2012 Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele gave notice that he would not defend the application, stating he would “abide by the court’s decision”.

This leaves the Project Proponents (Sanral and the WCC – the third and fifth respondents respectively), the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs and the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs, (the first and second respondents respectively) without the support of a key stakeholder in court.

Clarke says this situation is clearly untenable “not only from the point of view of a historically disadvantaged rural community who will have to raise funds for its legal costs, but also for taxpayers who will have to foot the bill for the legal costs of the respondents.  I have discussed the matter with transport Minister Sbu Ndebele. As he first stated in his budget speech in July 2009 he is eager to resolve the issues through negotiation with all stakeholders. Consequently, the Public Protector has been asked to conduct a forensic investigation into the entire projec to clear the way for an honest engagement by stakeholders to hopefully resolve the matter through negotiation rather than through adversarial contests.  Court battles are not what democracy is all about.”

Xolobeni Mining Venture

Clarke says the main point of contention that has prevented any compromise between the proponents and opponents of the N2 Wild Coast short cut route has been its proximity to the Xolobeni Mineral Sands.  In a related development this week local residents were shocked to learn that Transworld Energy and Minerals (Pty) Ltd, the Australian backed mining company whose mining rights for the Kwanyana Block had been revoked by Minister of Mineral Resources Susan Shabangu, in May 2011, were now re-applying for the prospecting rights, “hoping to revive their flagging fortunes”.

Clarke has found the Public Protector to be a crucial resource for effective social work.  In July 2011 he lodged a complaint against the former Director General of Mineral Resources Advocate Sandile Nogxina, who originally awarded the mining rights.

“He is a local resident with extensive property investments in the area but he never declared his conflict of interests.  The Public Protector referred the matter to the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions after I provided them with evidence of attempted bribery and intimidation.”

The matter is currently with the SAPS Margate Cluster Commander for investigation but according to Clarke ten months have elapsed without any further feedback.

“Thankfully one has the media to actualise constitutional rights.  This has resulted in members of the public coming forth to further substantiate my concerns, and I have now lodged another complaint to the Public Protector, this time focused on Mr Alli’s highly suspicious handling of the unsolicited bid from the N2 Wild Coast Consortium in 2001.”

Clarke says the coincidence between the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance’s high court action to stop Sanral’s e-tolling plans and the Wild Coast residents’ application to stop the N2 short cut is fortuitous.  “The ‘tsunami’ like wave of opposition to the GFIP e-tolling scheme has lent my clients some very helpful momentum in their decade long struggle. In gratitude they are eager to share their experience with Gauteng residents on how to stop unwanted developments before they start, and to offer two centuries of experience of Mpondo customary law to help define consultation and hold leaders accountable for decisions they take on behalf of the nation.

Full story and source: Business Report

Full story and source: Business Report

He notes that only 44 per cent of applications for vehicle finance are currently approved, down from 60 per cent in 2006.First-time applicants have an even worse success rate, at 25 per cent.

Full story and source: Engineering News

Full story and source: BusinessDay

The previous Civic hatchback was noted for its quirky styling and while the newcomer has toned some of those elements down to some degree, it remains a very distinctive package.

Sitting 20 mm lower and 10 mm wider than its predecessor, the new Civic hatch marries sporty and futuristic design cues in what Honda describes as “Clean-Dynamic” design. In addition to a sharply raked nose with a V-shaped counter-coloured element that encompasses the grille and sweeps up into the base of the headlamps, the new Civic also features rear doors with concealed handles to give the car a coupe-like profile and a swathe of taillamp that doubles as a spoiler.

The interior retains its two-tiered facia, but much of the switchgear has been more logically positioned than before and a colour-screen information display sits to the left of the dials. The aforementioned wider exterior dimensions translate into a roomier cabin with 1 431 mm of shoulder space between the front occupants and 792 mm between the driver and rear passenger, as well as a 401 dm3 boot – 76 dm3 larger than before.

In terms of vehicle safety, the new Civic has a 5-star EuroNCAP rating thanks in part to the standard fitment of front, side and curtain airbags, as well as such features as ABS with EBD and EBA and a tyre pressure warning system.

Just two engines will be offered initially – a 1,8-litre iVTEC petrol unit developing 104 kW and 174 N.m of torque and a 2,2-litre turbodiesel with 110 kW and 350 N.m of torque on tap. Both engines feature an Econ module that places the drivetrain settings in their most efficient state. The petrol unit is offered with a choice of six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shift while the diesel is offered solely with the six-speed manual gearbox.

Spec-wise, the new Civic hatchback has undergone some enhancements. For instance, the Exclusive trim package in the flagship i-DTEC includes such features as a panoramic glass sunroof, a premium sound system with amplifier and subwoofer, Bluetooth connectivity, HID headlamps with auto-levelling sensor and integrated washers and a reversing camera with front and rear parking sensors.

Pricing

1,8 i-VTEC Elegance Manual R248 000
1,8 i-VTEC Elegance Automatic R261 000
1,8 i-VTEC Executive Manual R270 000
1,8 i-VTEC Executive Automatic R283 000
2,2 i-DTEC Exclusive Manual R343 800

Prices include a five-year/90 000 km service plan, and three-year/100 000 km warranty. Service intervals are every 15 000 km.

These intelligent, computer-controlled robots represent an investment of R2.5-million and as they weld simultaneously, they reduce the cycle time significantly, increasing output.

One of the keys to growth for the local subsidiary has been the contract for the new Ford Ranger, for which Thule Towing Systems SA is the sole in-plant tow bar provider. With its massive 3 350 kilogram braked towing capability in 4×4 3.2-litre turbodiesel guise, the Ranger needed a tow bar of unprecedented strength.

In a long-term project involving Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa, Ford Australia, Thule Towing Systems SA and Thule’s international engineering and research and development network in Sweden and Holland, a new standard of tow bar was conceived. When put through its paces at TTS SA’s state-of-the-art test facility (commissioned in August last year at a cost of R7-million) the Ranger bar successfully went through a four-million cycle test – double the local legal requirement of SANS 1501 – without failing. This test is performed at regular intervals on production units.

Today, about 800 of these towbars come out of the Pietermaritzburg plant each week, the majority of them going directly to Ford’s Silverton assembly plant, but with a percentage going to Europe for aftermarket use.

Coming on the heels of news that manufacturing output dived unexpectedly in March, the data suggest that growth in the economy slowed during the first quarter of the year.

Full story and source: BusinessDay

This month’s 10 percent downward revision to export forecasts to 270 000 units because of the economic problems in Europe could have been expected to result in stable employment levels and possibly even job shedding.

Full story and source: Business Report

Full story and source: Engineering News