Question NW3484 to the Minister of Public Enterprises
31 October 2022 - NW3484
Van Dyk, Ms V to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises
(1) What were the reasons furnished by a certain person (name and details furnished) for the resignation; (2) what (a) were the reasons that the specified person took four Richtersveld community members to Dubai and India in 2017 and (b)(i) are the names and (ii) who paid for the travel arrangements?
Reply:
According to information received from Alexkor
1. The person resigned for personal reasons.
(2)(a) The information at my disposal is that the person (Company Secretary) accompanied the Board and the CPA representatives on a sales and marketing business trip to India (via Dubai). The purported objective of the trip was to meet with the leading diamond cutting and polishing companies in Surat and lobby them to set up diamond cutting and polishing units in the Northern Cape, as well as to meet with jewelers in Jaipur and lobby them to set up operations in South African and especially in the Northern Cape.
(b) The names of the community members who were on the trip are:
- Mr Willem Vries (Sanddrif, Richtersveld);
- Mr Dennis Farmer (Eksteenfontein, Richtersveld);
- Mr Brian Koopman (Lekkersing, Richtersveld); and
- Mr Ryno Thomas (Kuboes, Richtersveld).
(c) The trip was approved by the former Minister of Public Enterprises and was paid for by the Alexkor RMC Joint Venture.