Agri officials and farmers connive for flood damage funds

LIMPOPO – The former president of the African Farmers Association (Afasa) in Limpopo, Tshianeo Mathidi has warned officials from the Department of Agriculture to refrain from thinking that rural farmers are desperate and to stop eliciting them for their own corrupt activities.

”Our rural farmers are doing their best to produce agricultural products, but are robbed by officers who are involved in corrupt activities. We warn such officials not to abuse our farmers,” he said.

Mathidi reacted after three senior officials from the department, with four farmers from Nwanedi near Musina appeared in court for allegedly defrauding the department.

A chief director, a director, and assistant director in the department as well as the names of the four farmers are known to CV. They were warned before the Polokwane Specialised Commercial Court on March 2.

Hawks spokesperson Capt Matimba Maluleke said it was reported that between 2013 and 2014, the Department of Agriculture set aside a budget to assist small farmers who have been affected by floods in Vhembe.

“The affected farmers were allegedly required to submit their invoices to the department in order to be reimbursed. It is alleged that officials from the department connived with the farmers to submit fictitious invoices and as a result, these were successfully processed and the money was paid out,” said Maluleke.

According to Maluleke, the farmers would subsequently withdraw the money and share with the officials.

“The department’s forensic investigators discovered the illegal transactions in 2020 and opened the case, which was later referred to Hawks. The matter has been under investigation since 2020 until January 27 this year, when the suspects were summoned to appear in court.

He added that the department has suffered a loss of over R2m due to these transactions.

The suspects appeared in court on March 2 and the case was postponed to the April 13.