what is crux architects company:

Crux Architects Africa (Pty) Ltd is an African design business, delivering commercial architecture, master-planning and interior design services to business-focused clients, in a variety of property development sectors across the African continent. We are generalists in origin and approach, and we have working experience in 24 countries on the African continent and Brazil.

An independent review of a controversial alliance delivering a series of roading projects in Queenstown was heavily edited by senior managers at the Queenstown Lakes District Council.

Documents released to Crux after a request for official information reveal a draft of the ‘lessons learnt’ review was provided to council chief executive Mike Theelen, then five additional versions of the document were thrown back and forth between the author and other senior council staff before the final version was delivered.

Contractor Dave Brash delivered his first draft of the review to Mr Theelen on February 19, asking in an email for feedback and fact checking on it.

Between then and the end of April, emails circulated between Mr Brash, Mr Theelen, council infrastructure and property boss Tony Avery and procurement manager Geoff Mayman.

The documents show changes were also made by the author after feedback to a supplied draft was invited from the alliance’s programme manager Edward Husband, of Fulton Hogan.

Crux has been supplied with the email chain between Mr Brash, Mr Theelen, Mr Avery and Mr Mayman, although one email, and sections of others have been redacted.

Despite requesting it, Crux has not been given a copy of the first, original draft supplied by Mr Brash to council staff.

Without seeing the starting point, it is impossible to know what exact changes were made by Mr Brash in response to the commentary he received, but a council spokesperson says they include correcting facts, identifying errors, identifying relevant areas of enquiry to be completed, providing additional information and formatting.

“Such ‘to and fro’ feedback is a natural and ordinary part of the process of report writing,” the spokesperson says.

“Any editorial decisions to update and complete the report were made by Mr Brash and not based solely on feedback from Mr Theelen or other officers.”

The emails handed over to Crux provide limited information on the nature of the changes.

“Kia ora Dave”, Mr Avery writes in an email to Mr Brash on March 27, for example.

“Thanks for version four of the report! I think it’s starting to look much better. I’ve made some comments on the attached including some minor edits. I’ve tried to incorporate Mike’s comments after discussing it with him but I don’t have Geoff’s input as he’s been on leave. So there may be some further comments to come.”

Meanwhile some of the replies from Mr Theelen himself are close to nonsensical, riddled with typos and grammatical errors.