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The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries would like to articulate its shock and disappointment to the leaking of a confidential forensic report that found its way into the hands of the Democratic Alliance (DA).

More gravely is the fact that the leaked report is different from what was presented to the Acting Director-General, Mr Sipho Ntombela and the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson.

Several differences are noted. The Ernst and Young report to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries did not mention names of individuals. However, the report that is in the DA’s hands explicitly points to specific individuals.

Secondly, according to the Ernst & Young report to the department, the names of the individuals who are implicated in the investigation were going to be submitted in what they called “Phase Two” of the investigation. The department is awaiting the names of the implicated officials so that further action can be taken.

The report that was submitted to the department was about the investigation on the procurement processes at Fisheries but raised serious issues about the procurement processes in the appointment of the vessel and crew management company, Smit Amandla Marine (SAM).

The report identified several anomalies pertaining to the fact that proper tender processes had not been followed in the twelve years that SAM held the contract.

The department notes the recent developments as having gravely compromised the integrity of the investigation, including the confidentiality that we entrusted to Ernst & Young as an independent and respected forensic body. The department has lost faith in the work of Ernst & Young and as a result of these concerns, has resolved to put the investigation on hold until further notice.