Multiple probes into Daff’s fishy business
● A fraud and corruption scandal crippling the department of agriculture, forestry & fisheries (Daff) is the subject of three official investigations — and the Zondo commission on state capture has been told about it.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said yesterday that a prosecutor had been appointed to lead its investigation, and had provided guidance for a Hawks team investigating the Daff.
Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has subpoenaed witnesses for her probe, and this week the Public Service Commission interviewed Daff officials and affected parties.
The investigations began after the minister of agriculture, forestry & fisheries, Senzeni Zokwana, submitted a “master report” to the public protector, the presidency and the Zondo commission. The report, seen by the Sunday Times, was compiled by Zokwana’s legal representative, Barnabas Xulu & Partners, after the minister decided in April last year to commission an external investigation into alleged criminality.
The document contains forensic reports, e-mail correspondence and court documents detailing questionable tenders and decisions within the Daff dating to 2016.
A supplementary report containing more evidence of alleged wrongdoing was submitted to the NPA in October last year.
On August 6, the then NPA boss Shaun Abrahams wrote to Xulu telling him the task team he had appointed included deputy national director of public prosecutions Willie Hofmeyr, and that Hawks chief Lt Gen Godfrey Lebeya had been asked to assign experienced investigators to the matter.
The NPA this week confirmed the contents of the Abrahams letter and said “a docket relating to various allegations of fraud, maladministration, corruption and failing to report an offence in terms of section 34 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act was submitted [in] October 2018 for a prosecutor to be appointed and guidance to be given”.
NPA spokesperson Bulelwa Makeke said: “The prosecutor has provided guidance to the investigating officer seized with the matter and investigations are ongoing.”
Documents in the supplementary master report suggest political support for the probe may have waned following the removal of Abrahams later in August.
Xulu said Hofmeyr told his firm: “The acting NDPP just does not want me to proceed at the moment. You may have to get someone to speak or write to him.” Hofmeyr declined to speak to the Sunday Times this week.
Xulu is himself embroiled in the fracas, accused by Daff director-general Mike Mlengana of billing irregularities. Xulu says the DG is trying to deflect attention away from his own alleged involvement in wrongdoing.
In the report, Xulu details efforts to resolve the Daff crisis, including meetings between Zokwana and justice minister Michael Masutha.
In his letter, Abrahams refers to talks between the NPA and Masutha’s department over the repatriation of funds from the US related to the conviction of rock lobster poacher Arnold Bengis. Masutha’s spokesperson, Max Mpuzana, said this engagement only related to the Bengis matter.