Corruption Watch calls for investigation into failed farm worker equity schemes
Corruption Watch wants the Public Protector to launch an investigation into the failure of Farm Worker Equity Schemes (FWES), meant to empower farm workers.
Image: Photo: AFP
Corruption Watch has urged the Public Protector to investigate the systemic failures of Farm Worker Equity Schemes (FWES), revealing a troubling history of unfulfilled promises and ongoing injustices against farm workers.
The organisation said it has received various reports from community-based organisations regarding FWES's failure to achieve its objective of contributing to land reform.
The project was introduced 30 years ago following the change to a democratic government and was designed to empower farm workers by giving them shared ownership of commercial farms.
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) implemented the project.
Since last year, the department has been split into Agriculture with John Steenhuisen as Minister and Land Reform and Rural Development with Mzwanele Nyhontso as Minister.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Next
Stay
Close ✕
However, the anti-corruption body said the initiative has failed, leaving many workers without the benefits they were promised.
Melusi Ncala, a senior researcher and project lead at Corruption Watch, said this was intended to be a transformation initiative that was hijacked by government officials and commercial interests who, when presented with the opportunity soon after South Africa transitioned to democracy, chose instead to lie, cheat and steal from the poor.
In its letter to the Office of the Public Protector, Corruption Watch said the schemes failed due to abuse of power and an undue delay in resolving the complaints of the beneficiaries, and maladministration of FWES and the disbursement process.
The organisation said that dishonesty or improper dealing with respect to public money also added to the failure of the scheme.
The implementation also failed due to the lack of information, especially with respect to the financial affairs of FWES, such as shareholding and the dividends due, and paid out, to beneficiaries.
The lack of oversight and regulation by the DALRRD also impacted the project.
The Public Protector's spokesperson, Khulu Phasiwe, said the office did not have a record of the complaint but they will give feedback when there is an update on the matter.
Oteng Makgotlwe, the spokesperson for Corruption Watch, insisted that the complaint has been filed.
The Department Land Reform and Rural Development requested 48 hours to respond.
Corruption Watch said that correspondence has been exchanged with the DALRRD in an attempt to raise these issues but this has not led to any substantive progress.
Corruption Watch said the Public Protector should conduct an investigation into FWES and make an appropriate recommendation for remedial action as the complaint deals with the intersection between various departments as well as vehicles established for redress using public funds and in concert with the private sector.
The organisation added that it was aware that a complaint must ordinarily be reported to the Public Protector within two years from the date of the occurrence of the incident. However, the issue of FWES does not have a fixed start and end date, instead, it is a continuing and systemic problem that remains unresolved and ongoing to this day.
'Another reason for only bringing this matter to the attention of your office now is that the affected beneficiaries, along with the organisations assisting them, have been diligently attempting to exhaust all available avenues and remedies before approaching your office. This is clearly demonstrated by the extensive correspondence and attempts at resolution outlined in paragraph five of this letter. This complaint is therefore submitted in good faith and the interest of justice, given the persistent nature of the issues at hand,' read the letter.
The government previously commissioned consultancy firm ZALO Capital to review FWES on the basis that they thought something was amiss.
Completed by 2013, the report highlights a review of almost 89 equity schemes – the majority of which are in the Western Cape and the rest are sprinkled across the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, and other farming regions in the country.
The report found that there were significant financial irregularities, mismanagement, improper accounting practices, and other forms of possible malfeasance.
Ncala said the report, which was presented to the DALRRD, has since disappeared, claiming 'the department swiftly smothered it'.
'It is deeply ironic that the country now finds itself targeted by a treacherous disinformation campaign, about imaginary 'land confiscations' and 'mass killings', while farm workers continue to be abused, displaced, and dispossessed of everything they have, including their land. This is the true reflection of the state of our society,' he said.
* This story will be updated when the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development responds.
manyane.manyane@inl.co.za
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
2 hours ago
- eNCA
Mexicans elect their judges under shadow of crime, corruption
Mexicans chose their judges Sunday in unprecedented elections that sharply divided opinion in a country plagued by rampant crime, corruption and impunity. The government and its supporters said the reform making Mexico the world's only nation to select all of its judges and magistrates by popular vote was needed to clean up a rotten justice system. Arturo Giesemann, a 57-year-old retiree, said his main motivation for voting was "the disgust I have with the current judiciary because of its corruption." Turnout appeared to be low as many voters struggled to choose from hundreds of largely unknown candidates. "We are not very prepared," said Lucia Calderon, a 63-year-old university teacher. "I think we need more information." In the western state of Jalisco, 63-year-old housewife Maria Estrada said she used her "intuition" as she did not know the candidates. Experts were concerned that the elections would politicize the justice system and make it easier for criminals to influence the courts with threats and bribery. AFP | Alfredo ESTRELLA While corruption already exists, "there is reason to believe that elections may be more easily infiltrated by organised crime than other methods of judicial selection," Margaret Satterthwaite, the United Nations special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, told AFP. Hundreds of opponents of the reforms marched through Mexico City waving flags and banners with slogans including: "Hands off our democracy" and "No to electoral fraud." The elections send the judiciary "to its grave," said Ismael Novela, a 58-year-old company worker. "It was the last counterweight we had against the totalitarianism of the executive branch." - 'Regime of corruption' - President Claudia Sheinbaum hit back at her critics on the eve of the vote. "Those who want the regime of corruption and privileges in the judiciary to continue say this election is rigged. Or they also say it's so a political party can take over the Supreme Court," she said in a video message. "Nothing could be further from the truth," she insisted. The run-up to the vote was not accompanied by the kind of violence that often targets politicians in Mexico. But "it is logical that organised criminal groups would have approached judges and candidates who are important to them," said consultant Luis Carlos Ugalde, a former head of Mexico's electoral commission. Rights group Defensorxs has identified around 20 candidates it considers "high risk," including Silvia Delgado, a former lawyer for Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Another aspiring judge, in Durango state, spent almost six years in prison in the United States for drug crimes. - 'Good reputation' - Voters were tasked with choosing around 880 federal judges -- including Supreme Court justices -- as well as hundreds of local judges and magistrates. Another election for the remainder will be held in 2027. AFP | Rodrigo Oropeza Candidates are supposed to have a law degree, experience in legal affairs and what is termed "a good reputation," as well as no criminal record. To do a good job, voters "would have to spend hours and hours researching the track record and the profiles of each of the hundreds of candidates," said David Shirk, a professor at the University of San Diego. He believes that most of the corruption in Mexico's judicial system is in law enforcement agencies and public prosecutor's offices. "If you can avoid being prosecuted, you don't have to worry about the judge," said Shirk, who heads the Justice in Mexico research project. The judicial reforms were championed by Sheinbaum's predecessor and mentor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who frequently clashed with the courts before stepping down last year. The main reason for the elections seems to be "because Lopez Obrador had a grudge against the judges," Shirk said.
Eyewitness News
3 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
Mexicans elect their judges under shadow of crime, corruption
MEXICO CITY - Mexicans chose their judges Sunday in unprecedented elections that sharply divided opinion in a country plagued by rampant crime, corruption and impunity. The government and its supporters said the reform making Mexico the world's only nation to select all of its judges and magistrates by popular vote was needed to clean up a rotten justice system. Arturo Giesemann, a 57-year-old retiree, said his main motivation for voting was "the disgust I have with the current judiciary because of its corruption." Turnout appeared to be low as many voters struggled to choose from hundreds of largely unknown candidates. "We are not very prepared," said Lucia Calderon, a 63-year-old university teacher. "I think we need more information." In the western state of Jalisco, 63-year-old housewife Maria Estrada said she used her "intuition" as she did not know the candidates. Experts were concerned that the elections would politicize the justice system and make it easier for criminals to influence the courts with threats and bribery. While corruption already exists, "there is reason to believe that elections may be more easily infiltrated by organized crime than other methods of judicial selection," Margaret Satterthwaite, the United Nations special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, told AFP. Hundreds of opponents of the reforms marched through Mexico City waving flags and banners with slogans including: "Hands off our democracy" and "No to electoral fraud." The elections send the judiciary "to its grave," said Ismael Novela, a 58-year-old company worker. "It was the last counterweight we had against the totalitarianism of the executive branch." 'REGIME OF CORRUPTION' President Claudia Sheinbaum hit back at her critics on the eve of the vote. "Those who want the regime of corruption and privileges in the judiciary to continue say this election is rigged. Or they also say it's so a political party can take over the Supreme Court," she said in a video message. "Nothing could be further from the truth," she insisted. The run-up to the vote was not accompanied by the kind of violence that often targets politicians in Mexico. But "it is logical that organized criminal groups would have approached judges and candidates who are important to them," said consultant Luis Carlos Ugalde, a former head of Mexico's electoral commission. Rights group Defensorxs has identified around 20 candidates it considers "high risk," including Silvia Delgado, a former lawyer for Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Another aspiring judge, in Durango state, spent almost six years in prison in the United States for drug crimes. 'GOOD REPUTATION' Voters were tasked with choosing around 880 federal judges - including Supreme Court justices - as well as hundreds of local judges and magistrates. Another election for the remainder will be held in 2027. Candidates are supposed to have a law degree, experience in legal affairs and what is termed "a good reputation," as well as no criminal record. To do a good job, voters "would have to spend hours and hours researching the track record and the profiles of each of the hundreds of candidates," said David Shirk, a professor at the University of San Diego. He believes that most of the corruption in Mexico's judicial system is in law enforcement agencies and public prosecutor offices. "If you can avoid being prosecuted, you don't have to worry about the judge," said Shirk, who heads the Justice in Mexico research project. The judicial reforms were championed by Sheinbaum's predecessor and mentor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who frequently clashed with the courts before stepping down last year. The main reason for the elections seems to be "because Lopez Obrador had a grudge against the judges," Shirk said.
eNCA
4 hours ago
- eNCA
Trump offers no rest for lifelong US activist couple
MILWAUKEE - They've lost count of how many times they've been arrested, but even with a combined age of 180 years, American couple Joseph and Joyce Ellwanger are far from hanging up their activist boots. The pair, who joined the US civil rights rallies in the 1960s, hope protesting will again pay off against Donald Trump, whose right-wing agenda has pushed the limits of presidential power. "Inaction and silence do not bring about change," 92-year-old Joseph, who uses a walker, told AFP at a rally near Milwaukee in late April. He was among a few hundred people protesting the FBI's arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan, who is accused of helping an undocumented man in her court evade migration authorities. By his side -- as always -- was Joyce, 88, carrying a sign reading "Hands Off Hannah." They are certain that protesting does make a difference, despite some Americans feeling despondent about opposing Trump in his second term. "The struggle for justice has always had so much pushback and difficulty that it almost always appeared as though we'll never win," Joseph said. "How did slavery end? How did Jim Crow end? How did women get the right to vote? It was the resilience and determination of people who would not give up," he added. "Change does happen." The couple, who have been married for more than 60 years, can certainly speak from experience when it comes to protesting. AFP | Jamie Kelter Davis Joseph took part in strategy meetings with Martin Luther King Jr -- the only white religious leader to do so -- after he became pastor of an all-Black church in Alabama at the age of 25. He also joined King in the five-day, 54-mile march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965, which historians consider a pivotal moment in the US civil rights movement. Joyce, meanwhile, was jailed for 50 days after she rallied against the US military training of soldiers from El Salvador in the 1980s. Other causes taken up by the couple included opposing the Iraq war in the early 2000s. "You do what you have to do. You don't let them stop you just because they put up a blockade. You go around it," Joyce told AFP. - 'We'll do our part' - Joseph admitted he would like to slow down, noting the only time he and his wife unplug is on Sunday evening when they do a Zoom call with their three adult children. But Trump has kept them active with his sweeping executive actions -- including crackdowns on undocumented migrants and on foreign students protesting at US universities. AFP | Jamie Kelter Davis The threats to younger protesters are particularly concerning for Joyce, who compared those demonstrating today to the students on the streets during the 1960s. "They've been very non-violent, and to me, that's the most important part," she said. Joyce also acknowledged the couple likely won't live to see every fight to the end, but insisted they still had a role to play. "We're standing on the shoulders of people who have built the justice movement and who have brought things forward. So, we'll do our part," she said. Joyce added that she and Joseph would be protesting again on June 14 as part of the national "No Kings" rally against Trump. "More people are taking to the streets, we will also be in the streets," she said.
