Question NW793 to the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform
10 April 2017 - NW793
Walters, Mr TC to ask the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform
1. (a) On what date will the forensic report on tender number 5/2/2/1 RDLR-0052(2015/2016) relating to a forensic investigation into the acquisition and further procedures on the Nirwanda farm in De Doorns be released and (b) what were the recommendations of the report; (2) did the service provider have full access to all administration systems of his department with no limitations whatsoever; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) will the criminal phase of the investigation be conducted by the same service provider in collaboration with the Hawks as the case was already opened with the Hawks; (4) will fully fledged and comprehensive investigations be instituted into (a) certain farms in Beaufort West (details furnished), (b) SAFE and (c) BONO Farm Management on how they acquired farms as strategic partners without any public tender process in terms of the Public Finance Management Act, Act 1 of 1999; if not, in each case, why not; if so, what are the relevant details in each case; (5) whether he has found that there was no political interference in the specified forensic investigation; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. (a) The Forensic Report on tender number 5/2/2/1 RDLR 0052 (2015/2016) was released on 10 October 2016
(b) In summary the Forensic report recommended the following:
(i) That a criminal investigation be conducted on the possible corruption between the current and former officials of the DRDLR and SAFE/BONO Farm Management
(ii) That disciplinary action be taken against an official from the DRDLR
(iii) That investigations be conducted on projects that BONO has been appointed as a strategic partner
(iv) That legal opinion be sought on how to regularise the Nirwanda PLAS Project and possible civil claims for recovery of funds due to DRDLR
2. The service provider was allowed full access to all administrations systems so far as they related to the Nirwanda PLAS project. That includes persal information of all officials involved, recapitalisation funding data on the Nirwanda PLAS Project, human resources information of the officials implicated etc
3. In terms of the TOR and the SLA provision was made for the service provider to assist the Hawks with the criminal investigation and any court or disciplinary processes that they may be required to assist the DRDLR
4. The DRDLR will conduct preliminary investigations into all the farms that SAFE/BONO was appointed as strategic partners. The DRDLR has so far identified 16 farm projects which include three in the question, that have been prioritized for preliminary investigation to ascertain whether there are grounds to conduct fully-fledged and comprehensive investigations
5. The DRDLR is not aware of any political interference in the specified forensic investigation.