Department of Agriculture in the spotlight at SCOPA
Scopa was concerned about the regression of the department's audit outcomes from an unqualified to a qualified opinion in 2016/17.
POLOKWANE – THE Department of Agriculture and Rural Development does not hold transgressors accountable and consequence management is non-existent in the department.
Read more: CoGHSTA lambasted by SCOPA for underspending and irregular expenditure
These were the findings of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) during its recent hearing with the department. Scopa added the department’s programmes are not in order and that there is a lot of fraud, poor asset management and a lack of skills within the department.
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The root causes for the regression were ascribed to expenditure management, material underspending of the budget and material misstatements in the preparation of the annual financial statements. The full amount of the department’s irregular expenditure, R53,3 million or possibly R72,4 million, could not be quantified by the Auditor-General hence the basis for the department’s qualification.
The department’s HOD, Jacqueline Maisela, said the department has a detailed action plan and root causes will be addressed. She said the department’s cost of employees reduction strategy is being reviewed in consultation with the Department of Public Service and Administration and will be concluded at the end of November this year in consultation with Treasury.
Remunerative work outside employment (RWOPS) and government employees (also within the department) doing business with the department was lamented as a huge problem in the department.
During the hearing it was revealed an exceptional high litigation of R2,9 billion is claimed by African Meat Products who claims a breach of contract to operate the Lebowakgomo Abattoir. The department claims there never was a contract between the parties.
