Sir –Â The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to the KwaZulu-Natal Treasury Head, Simiso Magagula, calling on him to escalate an appeal for urgent intervention within the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, by placing it under administration in terms of Section 100 (b) of the Constitution.
The appeal – aimed at arresting the department’s ongoing disastrous decline and ensuring the people of the province are serviced by a functioning and efficient department – comes after yet another year of dismal performance levels, as revealed during this week’s SCOPA hearings into the 2018/2019 annual report.
Key indicators in the report show:
* Yet another qualified audit opinion (with findings) for the third year in a row;
* Frequent contravention of supply chain procedures;
* A marked increase in irregular expenditure of R715-million, compared to R431-million in 2017/18 and R281m in 2016/17;
* Budget underspending by R264-million, as opposed to R164-million underspent in 2017/18 and R376-million in 2016/17;
* Underperformance of entities within the department including Mjindi Farming and ADA.
Further findings include a lack of evidence to support the reports submitted to the Auditor-General and a failure to implement consequence management mechanisms, along with serious vacancies at all levels including Acting Senior Management – with 264 funded vacancies and 1 251 unfunded but approved vacancies – as well as the critical state of the department’s infrastructure.
The DA is of the firm belief that the financial and administrative mismanagement within this department warrants a national response. The findings show once and for all that the ANC in KZN is incapable of turning this department around and the time has come for both the National Government and the provincial Treasury to step in and rescue this critical department.
KZN is a largely rural province, with millions of residents relying on the successful implementation of agricultural and rural development projects to lift them out of poverty, provide food security and manage agricultural resources. The continued failure of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is prolonging the delivery of justice and opportunities for our farmers and rural communities.
There is no more time for elaborately named distractions such as ‘Thuma Mina’ or ‘Khawuleza’. Government must build a capable department and implement strict consequence management mechanisms now.
Chris Pappas MPL – DA KZN Spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development
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