E&Y hauled over the coals after DAFF report leak
According to Allafrica.com, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) issued a statement voicing its "shock and disappointment to the leaking of a confidential forensic report that found its way into the hands of the Democratic Alliance (DA)."
The statement, titled "Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Has Lost Faith in Ernst and Young" says further that the leaked report is different from the version E&Y presented to Acting Director-General, Sipho Ntombela and Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson.
While the report presented to DAFF did not mention names of individuals, the report the DA obtained "explicitly points to specific individuals". Ernst & Young, the department adds; said to the DAFF that the names of the individuals who are implicated in the investigation "were going to be submitted in ... 'Phase Two' of the investigation. The department is awaiting the names of the implicated officials so that further action can be taken."
The E&Y report deals with the investigation on procurement processes at Fisheries. It also raised "serious issues about ... the appointment of the vessel and crew management company, Smit Amandla Marine (SAM)." It points out that proper tender processes had not been followed in the twelve years that SAM held the contract. As a result of the leak, "the department has lost faith in the work of Ernst & Young," the statement says, "and as a result of these concerns, (DAFF) has resolved to put the investigation on hold until further notice," Allafrica.com reports.
Read the full article on http://allafrica.com.
