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The Public Protector has informed the FF Plus that an investigation has been launched to determine whether all statutory requirements were adhered to in the awarding of tenders to new shop tenants of public property in Pilgrims Rest. The FF Plus has asked the PP in July 2012 to investigate these tenders following media reports that current tenants were given 30 days’ notice by the department of public works to vacate their shops and to make way for the new recipients of the tenders.

“There is however complaints from the current shop tenants that they had not received any response to their own tender applications since November 2011. It also appears that some tenants had been threatened by government officials that they would be removed from the properties if they did not vacate the premises by the end of July 2012. According to the media reports, these current tenants are being targeted because they are white,” Adv. Anton Alberts, the FF Plus’ parliamentary spokesperson on economic affairs, said.

“The FF Plus is strongly opposed to intimidation of minorities and will see to it that the department of public works are held accountable for their actions. In the light of this, we welcome the decision of the PP to accede to our request to investigate the awarding of the tenders,” Alberts added.