Parliament, Friday, 27 October 2017 – The Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs has directed the North West provincial Department of Rural, Environmental and Agricultural Development and the MEC, Ms Manketse Tlhape, to reverse a donation of wildlife valued at over R100 million, made to the South African Rare Game Breeders Holdings (SARGBH).

The Committee found that there is prima facie evidence that the Department did not handle the donations of the high-value wildlife animals in accordance with the requirements of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). Thus, the Committee directs the MEC and the Department to reverse the SARGBH donation project with immediate effect and to ensure that no further donations to SARGBH take place.

“The prima facie anomalies are severe enough to warrant that the Auditor-General and National Treasury must take necessary steps in terms of the PFMA to investigate the SARGBH game donation project for possible financial irregularities. This investigation could result in a finding: that the costs of the reversal of the SARGBH project be recovered from the MEC, the Accounting Officer or any persons or entity that might have contributed in these transaction or that may inappropriately have benefited”, the Chairperson of the Committee, Mr Phillemon Mapulane, said in emphasizing the Committee resolutions.

Both the conception and implementation of the game donation project was not properly done, despite the high value of the wildlife species involved in that transaction. These two processes appeared to have been hurried for reasons unknown to the Committee.

The National Department of Environmental Affairs should finalise its Game Donation Policy that is currently underway in the next three months, in order to enable orderly transfer or donation of public wildlife species from statutorily protected areas to communities and private persons or entities throughout the Republic.

The Committee will seek legal advice, with the aim of referring this matter to law enforcement agencies for further investigation to establish criminal liability where necessary, based on the value of the wildlife species involved.

ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, MR PHILLEMON MAPULANE

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