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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. 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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.