Pretoria – North West MEC for Rural Environmental and Agricultural Development, Manketse Tlhape has been given three days to respond to questions regarding donations of Wild Life allegedly awarded to private entities for a 10-year breeding programme.
The North West Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Rural Environment and Agricultural Development resolved to allow Tlhape and her senior management three working days to compile a detailed report to further clarity on responses that were provided to a question regarding the donation.
The committee convened a meeting with Tlhape on Friday following reports that spiralled in the media regarding rare breeds of wild life being donated to private farms to persons or friends alleged to be politically connected.
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 of the project.
In her presentation, MEC Tlhape said 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 predominantly 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 also mentioned that the public is fully aware of platforms given to advertise or publicise the offer especially to the marginalised interested parties.
However, 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 committee was also not happy with 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.
Kegakilwe said 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 Kegakilwe.
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, and the date and applications of emerging farmers.
The department was also asked to provide 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. – SAnews.gov.za
