Tina Joemat-Pettersson continues scapegoating 

During a briefing by the Auditor-General's office today, Agriculture Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson blamed Parliament for her poor performance in the last 5 years.

She said: "My single failure as a Minister is to leave over 20 pieces of legislation unamended and it was the job of the committee to make sure of this".

The Minister seems to have forgotten that it is her responsibility to refer legislation to Parliament for consideration, and not the other way around. 

Minister Joemat-Petterson cannot scapegoat Parliament for the performance of a department she is in charge of running. She has no one but herself to blame. 

As a result of a number of irresponsible decisions she has lurched South Africa's agricultural sector from crisis to crisis:

• The unlawful awarding of the R800 million vessel contract to Sekunjalo;
• The subsequent failure to secure credible management of the vessel fleet, which is, to date still not fit for sea;
• The politically motivated distribution of food parcels during worker strikes, to the tune of R10 million;
• The unauthorised funding of the Black Association of the Wine and Spirit Industry (BAWSI), which received R4 million. BAWSI was responsible for fuelling the violent farm worker strikes last year;
• The failure to release the crucial OIE Report on the status of animal health in South Africa. Meat and poultry export bans have not been lifted as a result;
• The failure to appear before Parliament to account for her Department. Minister Joemat-Pettersson has appeared in Parliament twice this year; and
• The poor management of the Ncera farm projects, which have almost collapsed after R34 million was invested into the ventures.

Agriculture has taken a knock under her leadership and South Africa cannot afford to continue on this downward spiral. 

President Zuma must do the right thing and relieve Joemat-Pettersson of her duties to secure the jobs in the sector. 

Statement issued by Annette Steyn MP, DA Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, October 8 2013

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