Credibility of report questioned

2003-08-21 15:02

cape Town - Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula came under fire on Thursday after he delayed the release of a report on farm attacks.

The report, meant to have been released on Wednesday, was held back as Nqakula and Justice Minister Penuell Maduna were "not satisfied with certain aspects" of it.

Nqakula's spokesperson, Leslie Xinwa, said on Thursday the ministers wanted to "engage the committee of inquiry, who compiled the report, on certain issues".

"They (the ministers) did not specify what the problem was exactly. They just said they want to meet with the committee and discuss the issues," Xinwa said.

The report was commissioned in March 2001 by former safety and security minister, the late Steve Tshwete, after farmers' union AgriSA asked for an investigation into the motives for the attacks.

'At least give the reasons'

Agri SA spokesperson Kobus Visser on Thursday questioned the independence of the committee.

"We are disappointed that the minister would see fit to refer the report back to an independent committee. This action casts doubt on the integrity of the report."

According to Visser, the minister was unhappy with certain recommendations made in the report.

"The minister's office would not elaborate on the reasons."

He said Nqakula should at least make public the reasons for the delay.

Matter of life and death

Meanwhile, opposition parties questioned government's motives.

The Democratic Alliance said the delay showed government's opposition to any document that could be regarded as independent.

DA rural safety spokesperson Paul Swart said the committee had reportedly recommended that "farmers - just like people in the urban areas - must themselves beef up their security".

"This statement is a direct indictment of government's failure to protect the safety and security of all South Africans," Swart said.

He said the report should be released immediately as it was "a matter of life or death" for rural communities.

Swart said the original report, including any amended versions of the report, must be made available to the portfolio committee on safety and security for scrutiny.

Political meddling

New National Party justice spokesperson Carol Johnson said the party was concerned the delay was nothing more than political meddling.

"If the report has now been referred back to the commission because the respective ministers are 'not satisfied' with it, the report can never be said to be independent, and it's credibility will now be tainted," she said.

Attacks 'not merely criminal'

The Freedom Front said the delay showed that the report could have found that the motives for farm attacks were not merely criminal.

FF safety and security spokesperson Pieter Groenewald questioned why the report was being sent back if Nqakula attributed the motives for farm murders to ordinary crime.

"This creates the impression that the commission has found that the causes and motives for farm murders were more than criminality."

According to estimates by AgriSA, violent robberies and murders on farms increased 11 percent between 1991 and 2001.

It also estimated that 7 424 attacks occurred between 1991 and June this year, and 1 344 people were killed during the same period.

- SAPA