6 February 2007
Mafikeng: MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and Environment in the North
West, Mandlenkosi Mayisela today told journalists that he is satisfied his
department is not corrupt. Mayisela made the statement while releasing the
results of the forensic investigation instituted to look into the affairs of
his department's Directorate for Entrepreneurial Department (DED). DED is a
special parastatal structure set up in April 2003 by the North West government
to deal with agri-business promotion and development in the province.
The MEC said the forensic report's summary findings indicate that overall,
there is no corruption or fraud in the affairs of the DED but instead,
weaknesses in management practices, processes and controls which then led to
non-compliance with aspects of public finance management policies.
"For me the report confirms the observations and findings of the
Auditor-General with respect to weak financial management and control within
the DED. What gives me a measure of comfort is that even while the lengthy
investigation was underway, my department had already gone some way in
addressing these issues through the turnaround strategy that we have been
implementing throughout 2006."
"I want to emphasise that I have a largely new and clean senior management
team that has helped me drive the agenda for service delivery and
transformation in the areas under my charge � agriculture, conservation and
environment. I hope that the release of the forensic report will help put this
outstanding matter to rest and allow my department and officials to move
forward with the work set out for them," said Mayisela.
Based on the findings of the report, disciplinary steps were taken against
relevant officials who were found to have contravened departmental policies or
acted in ways that led to financial loss for the state. Advice is being sought
from the legal advisors about the possibility of recovering loss suffered as a
result of negligence of certain senior managers.
The department has also acted internally against erring officials. Since
2005, a total of 4 officials linked to the DED forensic investigation, whom are
senior managers, have been investigated for misconduct.
"We are moving forward on a clean slate," Mayisela concluded.
Enquiries:
Lesego Mncwango
Communications Directorate
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment
Cell: 082 220 6367 / 083 504 3874
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, North
West Provincial Government
6 February 2007
