On Friday, 23 October 2015, the North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Rural Environment and Agricultural Development chaired by the Chairperson of Chairpersons , Hon. Gordon Kegakilwe on behalf of Chairperson of the Committee, Hon Duma Ndleleni, resolved to allow MEC Manketse Tlhape and her senior management 3 working days to compile a detailed report to further clarity on responses that were provided to question regarding donations of wild life allegedly awarded to private entities for a 10 year breeding programme.
The committee requested to convene the said meeting with the MEC of Agriculture, MEC Tlhape, after reports that spiralled in the media of rare breeds of wild life being donated to private farms to persons or friends alleged to be politically connected.
As part of its mandate to conduct oversight and ensure transparency and accountability, the committee requested the department to present a comprehensive report on the project, a list of beneficiaries and assets transferred to the emerging game farmers as well as the criteria used to select beneficiaries on the project.
The committee was not happy with the presentation amongst other reasons on the basis that it did not fully specify the criteria used to select beneficiaries, the policy establishment date on the donation of game from nature reserves; the involvement of Southern African Rare Game Breeders Association (SARGBA) an association meant to support and mentor emerging farmers from previously disadvantaged background on game farming; members of the BEE Farm Workers Trust and their percentage of shareholding, who are the day to day workers at the farms.
The Chairperson of the committee, Hon. Kegakilwe stated that the committee needs all relevant information to establish the transparency, fairness and accountably in the process of donating wildlife.
“Our responsibility to ensure accountability and transparency, is to conduct proper oversight and research in the manner this initiative is benefitting the historically disadvantaged communities apart from all things, the communities affected by the public purse matter the most,” said, Hon. Kegakilwe
The MEC for the department, mentioned that the 10 year programme is part of an initiative towards transformation meant to empower black people interested in wild life game farming, as this has been pre-dominantly a white farming industry.
She cited that the North West Parks Board and Tourism developed a policy on the donation of game from nature reserves since 1997, and that it has always been a norm for the Parks Board to donate wildlife even outside the borders of the state. She lastly mentioned that the public is fully aware of platforms given to advertise or publicise the offer especially to the marginalised interested parties.
The committee requested the department amongst other responses, to allocate the number of workers in the private game farms, the percentages of all beneficiaries including the workers, the evident platforms done to publicise this initiative, the date and applications of emerging farmers; the register of all wildlife in the Parks Board; the policy and strategy on game farming; the contract agreement between the workers, list of beneficiaries and SARGBA.
“We fully support this endeavour towards transformation but urge the department to conduct processes in a manner that is transparent, free from corruption and that will benefit the economy of the province and fully promotes the interests of the people of South Africa,” said Hon. Kegakilwe
The next meeting is said to include the previous members of Tourism Parks Board.
Enquiries:
Namhla Luhabe
Tel: 018 392 7000
Cell: 079 527 0628
E-mail: namhla@nwpl.org.za
