KZN Agriculture Saga Continues

30 May 2007

The IFP has noted with concern that not even the damning internal audit report and a new leadership seem to have cured the provincial Department of Agriculture of its bad habits, nurtured under the (mis)management of the former Head of Department, Dr Jabulani Mjwara.

"By all accounts, some of the past misconduct continues. Agricultural development in Msinga, for one, continues to be managed as a personal fiefdom of the local ANC Councillor Phikamanga Dlamini," said Lindani Mncwango IFP MPP during Taking Parliament to the People in Msinga.

The IFP has learned from the local community that Councillor Dlamini, who presides over the local development co-operative MPDC, enjoys preferential access to agricultural equipment and seedlings from the department.

"In order to access the seedlings and equipment supplied by the Department of Agriculture, the local people are routinely required to produce ANC membership cards," said Mncwango. "Councillor Dlamini has also been known to charge for the use of tractors that were given to the community for use free of charge."

The IFP is dismayed by the fact that all these disturbing developments have occurred under the department's new leadership which pledged to clean up after Dr Mjwara's colossal mismanagement.

"The new MEC for Agriculture promised to learn from the past mistakes and rectify them in his turnaround strategy. What we have seen in Msinga so far runs directly against the spirit of this strategy," said Mncwango.

The IFP finds it unacceptable that service delivery should be restricted within the bounds of a select few ANC representatives who like to think they are bestowing favours unto the local community when these are in fact financed by the taxpayer.

Contact: Lindani Mncwango, 084 500 0277