MSUTU’S RESPONSE

CITY of Champions boss Mazizi Msutu has denied doctoring the two impact assessment reports before they were sent to the municipality.

He, instead, blamed Development Partners owner and NMMU associate professor Deon Pretorius for drafting “non-factual” and “depth-lacking” reports.

He said claims that the reports were doctored were based on an erroneous set of facts.

“Pretorius’s draft report constituted a scantily, non-factual and depth-lacking prepared report which, to my mind, was badly written and based on data obtained by assessing nine questionnaires which were sent to service providers by my office and followed up by my office,” Msutu said.

He said the first report was not changed and the final version prepared by Pretorius was submitted to the municipality.

The second report was not “edited” but some revision had been done due to extra comment and feedback.

Msutu said Pretorius did not attend any of the events and failed to study reports from the specific events.

“I was under no obligation in terms of my contract with the municipality to make use of Pretorius’s services or any other one, for that matter, and was disappointed with his endeavours in respect of that draft report based on such little data,” he said.

“I then prepared a more comprehensive and detailed report which was submitted to the municipality.

“His draft report for the second phase of work was scanty, inadequate and inappropriate to use in that form.

“My office prepared a comprehensive report on behalf of City of Champions.

“This comprehensive report did not only focus on the limited results from the nine service providers, but considered reports from various service providers as well as my team’s interactions with attendees at the events.

“We also took into account direct feedback from artists that attended our events [such as] Lira, PJ Powers and Judith Sephuma.”

Msutu said the artists had given him “resounding” and “fruitful feedback”.

On putting his name on the report, he said: “We reject this allegation with all the contempt it deserves.”

Msutu also said Pretorius had been paid in full.

“I am appalled, stunned and outraged by Pretorius’s disregard and disrespect of [the] ethical principle of client confidentiality, as I would have expected him to contact us as his client directly should he seek clarity about the work he was commissioned for by City of Champions,” Msutu said.