Fishing expedition

I AM writing in response to the Cape Times’ editorial, “Fisheries rots from the head” (February 21).

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tina JoematPettersson, does not deal with or handle tenders and contracts.

The minister does not determine who should receive contracts or any kind of business or favours from the department.

The minister has committed, and continues to fight against the corruption that haunts our country.

This fight will not be derailed by any calls for her to be moved from her portfolio. Calls for her removal are suggestive of attempts to undermine investigations into corrupt and irregular practices.

The department has been at pains to explain the processes related to the investigation into irregular financial mismanagement in the fisheries branch.

This investigation was not against a certain company, but rather looked at the loopholes that existed in the branch to strengthen procurement processes.

This move should be hailed as a positive step towards building a branch that will work towards achieving the government’s key priorities, which include fighting crime and corruption.

Also, the department has explained that neither the Marine Stewardship Council certification process nor the critical research surveys required to determine total allowable catches have been compromised.

To suggest otherwise is incorrect and reeks of deliberate attempts to undermine the integrity of Minister Joemat-Pettersson based on unsubstantiated statements.

The editor fails to understand that the accounting officer of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is the director-general.

The allegation, therefore, that the minister runs the department displays a lack of understanding of government and makes glaring the editor’s failure to familiarise himself with how government departments operate.

The allegation that the minister is wielding a campaign against a certain company is nonsensical and attentionseeking.

The crux of the editorial is more an attack directed at the minister for the decisions taken by the department to strip the company of its contract.

This begs the question: does the Cape Times or its editor or the writer of the editorial hold a vested interest in the company?

During the portfolio committee meeting last week, the fisheries branch articulated its plans to manage its situation and to turn it around.

Let’s give it a chance to do this.