Hawks go fishing for ex-judge’s son
THE son of Hawks judge Essa Moosa is himself being investigated by the Hawks for alleged fraud.
But Faizel Moosa, deputy chairman of the ANC fishing desk in the Western Cape, says the probe is a smear campaign against him following his efforts to expose corruption within the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Moosa snr, a former Western Cape High Court judge, was appointed in 2013 to handle complaints against the Hawks. He was active in the struggle against apartheid and served on the ANC constitutional committee.
According to documents in the possession of the Sunday Times, Moosa jnr is under investigation in connection with an application he launched for a fishing right in the large pelagic longline sector.
In a document released last week, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said it had excluded Moosa’s application due to “confirmed allegations of fraud”.
Department spokeswoman Palesa Mokomele said officials were “currently in the process of submitting the evidence to the Hawks”.
Hawks spokesman Lloyd Ramovha did not respond to queries.
The Sunday Times has established that the alleged fraud relates to a boat-building agreement submitted as part of Moosa’s application.
But Moosa said he knew nothing about the boat-building agreement. “I am surprised by it. I was never involved in any boat-building agreement.”
He said his father’s status made him an easy target.
“Whenever there has been mention of my name, it has always been as ‘son of Judge Moosa’. I am perceived to be politically connected because my father is a high-profile person”.
He said he was particularly vigilant about following correct procedures — including with his fishing applications.
He suspected the Hawks had been asked to act because he had spoken out about his suspicions of corruption in the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
He questioned why his alleged fraud had been referred to the Hawks and not raised during the application vetting process, and why he had not been given a chance to respond.