DA member of the National Council of Provinces Dr Igor Scheurkogel has formally reported the Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa to the Public Protector for failure to disclose critical information regarding its liquidation and debt-recovery processes.

Scheurkogel stated that the decision follows months of exhaustive, unsuccessful attempts to secure transparency from the State-owned agricultural lender.

These efforts included parliamentary oversight mechanisms, direct correspondence with the Land Bank’s leadership and board, and a formal application under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).

According to Scheurkogel, the Land Bank has met every inquiry with silence.

"This is no longer simply about a failure to answer correspondence. It raises a much bigger question: If Land Bank is satisfied that these liquidation processes were properly authorised, lawfully administered and financially accounted for, why will it not produce the records?" Scheurkogel said.

The formal PAIA application specifically requested records outlining the exact amount of money returned to the Land Bank through liquidation proceedings and the forced sale of farmers' assets from 2012 to the present date.

Scheurkogel emphasised that as a public institution funded by taxpayers, the Land Bank cannot operate in the shadows.

“It cannot expect Parliament, affected farmers and the South African public simply to accept that everything was properly handled while refusing to produce the records that would prove it," he stated.

The complaint lodged with the Public Protector requests a comprehensive investigation into systemic maladministration within the bank's debt-recovery systems, irregular procurement practices, failures of financial control and abuse of public power and improper prejudice against affected parties.

As an independent constitutional body, the Public Protector holds the legal authority to investigate suspected misconduct or prejudice within State affairs and public administration.

Scheurkogel noted that because internal and legislative avenues have been exhausted, the matter must escalate to a body that holds the power to compel answers and access documents.