The GOOD Party has asked the Public Protector to investigate Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis over his handling of the controversial sale of the Good Hope Centre, alleging he disclosed confidential bidding information before the procurement process had been formally concluded.
In a complaint lodged on Monday and seen by Sunday World, GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron alleges the mayor may have acted improperly by publicly identifying bidders and discussing the outcome of the auction before the city had officially communicated its decision to those involved.
Concerns of improper conduct
Herron says the matter raises concerns of “maladministration, improper conduct and undue prejudice to an affected party in connection with the affairs of the city”.
The complaint follows comments Hill-Lewis made during a Radio 786 interview in which he reportedly said the church that had submitted the highest bid for the landmark property could not complete the purchase because it lacked the funds. He also indicated that the property would instead be sold to the second-highest bidder, reportedly a Muslim institution, for R130-million.
When asked during the interview whether he was allowed to reveal those details, Hill-Lewis reportedly replied: “I am not sure if I am allowed to say that. I have now said it, maybe I shouldn’t have.”
Herron argues that those remarks appear to contradict the city’s own public position. On the same day, a city spokesperson told the media that the municipality was still considering the outcome of an external due diligence process.
According to the complaint, the spokesperson said, “The city is currently considering the outcome of an external due diligence process conducted on the Good Hope Centre bidding process. A full report will serve before the relevant council structure in due course. The city is unable to comment further on bidders or process details while this is under consideration.”
Herron argues that this raises questions about whether confidential procurement information was disclosed before the city’s internal processes had been completed.
Before mayor’s comments, Spirit Revelation unaware bid unsuccessful
The complaint further states that St John Holdings, the company linked to Spirit Revelation Ecclesia, had not received any official notification that its bid had been unsuccessful before the mayor’s public comments.
Instead, the company wrote to Hill-Lewis seeking urgent clarification, saying it remained unaware of “any official communication from the city confirming the mayor’s reported statements” and had “received no formal notification that its bid had been rejected, that it had failed to satisfy any requirement of the sale process, or that the transaction had been terminated.”
Herron contends that if those claims are correct, the city may have failed to comply with its own supply chain management policy, which requires both successful and unsuccessful bidders to receive written notification once a final award has been made.
Scope of complaint
He has asked the public protector to investigate “whether the executive mayor’s public disclosure of confidential bid information and bidder identities… constituted improper conduct in connection with the affairs of the City” and whether the municipality’s apparent failure to notify bidders in writing amounts to maladministration.
The complaint also asks the watchdog to determine whether the mayor’s comments may have undermined bidders’ rights to challenge the outcome of the process by creating uncertainty over whether a final decision had formally been taken.
Among the remedies sought, Herron wants the Public Protector to direct the city to publicly account for the current status of the Good Hope Centre sale, disclose whether a final award has been made and ensure that affected bidders are given proper written notice before the transaction is finalised.
- The GOOD Party has requested the Public Protector to investigate Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis for allegedly revealing confidential bidding details related to the sale of the Good Hope Centre before the procurement process was finalized.
- GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron claims the mayor's comments during a radio interview disclosed bidder identities and auction outcomes prematurely, contradicting the city's public stance of awaiting due diligence results.
- St John Holdings (linked to Spirit Revelation Ecclesia) reportedly had not been officially notified of their bid failure before the mayor’s statements, potentially breaching the city's supply chain management policies requiring written bidder notifications.
- The complaint alleges Hill-Lewis' actions constitute maladministration, improper conduct, and may have prejudiced affected parties by undermining bidders' rights to formally challenge the process.
- Herron requests the Public Protector to ensure the city clarifies the Good Hope Centre sale status, confirms if a final decision was made, and mandates written notifications to all bidders before concluding the sale.
