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State to probe fisheries branch

There would be an inquiry into the procurement processes and procedures at the fisheries branch, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tina Joemat-Pettersson said on Wednesday. “Based on the advice and further legal opinion I have decided to scrutinise broadly all the current and past tenders at fisheries,” she said in a statement. “To this effect, I am instituting an independent inquiry into the procurement processes and procedures at the Fisheries branch.” Fisheries made headlines for a tender that was awarded for the management and maintenance of the department's fleet of research and fisheries patrol vessels, she said.

“The award, as is now common knowledge, was withdrawn on the basis of advice from senior counsel. As a result of our own flawed processes, an innocent company, Sekunjalo, has been portrayed as the culprit in this saga and its reputation has been tainted.” Joemat-Pettersson said the reality was that, based on legal advice, it was their processes and procedures that failed. She said she has consulted with the ministry of justice and constitutional development with the view to appoint a retired judge to head the committee of inquiry. “The inquiry will specifically look at processes and procedures relating to tenders with the view of determining whether there were in fact any irregularities in the chain of procurement, including maladministration, fraud or corruption, by government employees and/or the private sector and or both.”

The committee would make recommendations in this regard. “Our aim is that this committee should sit as soon as possible, hopefully at the beginning of April this year.” She said the inquiry was not a witch-hunt. “It is an attempt to allow fisheries to restore its image as a clean and capable branch.” She appealed to employees and the public to come forward with any information of wrong-doing. “From now until the committee concludes its investigation, we will cease to respond or entertain any further allegations or queries as those would now be in the jurisdiction of the committee,” said Joemat-Pettersson. “Once the enquiry is concluded, we hope this will clear the way for fisheries to do its work without anymore interference and or insinuation of corruption or maladministration.”

Source: iol.co.za

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State to probe fisheries branch

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