Question NW2993 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
21 December 2020 - NW2993
Steyn, Ms A to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
With reference to both the agriculture and land reform departments, what (a) total number of formal investigations has her department undertaken since 1 April 2014 and (b) are the reasons for each specified investigation; (2) whether any of the investigations led to (a) criminal charges and/or (b) disciplinary hearings; if not, why not; if so, (i) in which cases and (ii) what was the outcome of the charges; (3) whether she will furnish Mrs A Steyn with a copy of all the reports of the investigations; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. (a) 120
(b) Please refer to Annexure A.
2. (a),(b),(i),(ii) Please refer to Annexure A.
It should be noted that criminal action is not recommended where the investigation’s findings and conclusions could not reveal any element of criminality by all involved in the transaction, being officials or third parties; and disciplinary action is not recommended where no fault or culpability could be found on the part of any official of the Departments.
3. The investigation reports of the Department are confidential in nature and where there is some further action that needs to be taken, release of the reports can jeopardise these actions. The forensic reports are generally not shared, unless a request for access to the reports is made in terms of the applicable law, notably Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000.