Efforts to publicly expose farm corruption
Mjindi Farming is a provincial government business enterprise and public entity of the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs (DAEA).
FORMER employees of Mjindi Farming (Pty) Ltd near Jozini have expressing concern over the manner in which they were dismissed, the questionable behaviour of senior management and the unpublished results of a forensic investigation.
Mjindi Farming is a provincial government business enterprise and public entity of the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs (DAEA).
It is reliant upon funding from the KZN DAEA.
Based on the Makhathini Flats, its mandate is confined to the Makhathini irrigation scheme, including the refurbishment and maintenance thereof.
Complaints of corruption and alleged mismanagement of funds and resources were reported by Mjindi staff and farmers to the DAEA in 2012.
The then KZN MEC of Agriculture, Meshak Radebe, in 2013 appointed a team to undertake a forensic investigation into the allegations.
According to staff members, the investigation was completed, but the results never released. Shortly thereafter, Radebe was redeployed.
Mjindi employees say they were victimised or dismissed for cooperating with the investigation and they want to know why the results were never published.
Furthermore, they have questioned the legitimacy of the CEO and CFO’s appointments.
Aggrieved staff want this, as well as alleged salary discrepancies, to be investigated.
Mjindi senior management could not be reached for comment.
KZN Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesperson for Agriculture, Francois Rodgers, after cutting through much red tape, was made privy to the results of seven completed forensic investigations into numerous entities within KZN’s agricultural sector, including Mjindi Farming.
However, he was legally bound not to disclose the results.
‘The results are damning,’ said Rodgers, referring specifically to the investigation into Mjindi Farming.
He said the results confirm ‘fraud, corruption and maladministration of the highest order’ and cost the KZN Department of Agriculture and Rural Development R10-million to date.
After seeking legal advice yesterday, Rodgers plans to expose this agricultural ‘scandal’.
@TamlynJolly
