Fisheries backtrack over claim of crookery
THE Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries appears to be back-pedalling on its claim that a forensic investigation “confirmed multibillion-rand corruption” by Smit Amandla Marine.
The allegation relates to the management of the state’s marine vessels and the forensic investigation apparently uncovered evidence of “widespread corruption” among the department’s officials and officials of the Department of Environmental Affairs.
Apress release issued by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on Monday said that the state had been defrauded by about R1.6 billion.
But at a media briefing yesterday the department’s acting director-general, Sipho Ntombela, was at pains to stress that the independent forensic investigation, commissoned by the department, “just highlights something irregular has happened”.
Asked if the department was back-tracking on Monday’s accusations, Ntombela said the statement had just “pointed out challenges investigators had faced and that’s it”.
Collusion
“It was saying there is a possible case of collusion between officials and some others outside the department, but we can’t speculate,” he said.
This was in stark contrast to Monday’s statement which said evidence against Smit and departmental officials was “overwhelming” and indicated “widespread corruption”.
Ntombela read out a new statement which used phrases such as “anomalies were noted on invoices” and terms in the agreement between Smit and the government to manage the state’s marine vessels were “unusual and appear to be unfavourable to the state”. It also said tender requirements “may not have been met”.
Since Ntombela would not be drawn on the earlier statement, an e-mail was sent to departmental spokesmen Lionel Adendorf and Steve Galane, who had issued the statement, asking them if the department stood by its statement. By late yesterday the department had not replied.
Smit Amandla Marine said yesterday that the department could not substantiate the claims. “We are seeking legal recourse and a formal process to defend Smit Amandla Marine and clear our name.”