Farm attacks report held back

2003-08-20 21:22

Marietie Louw

Pretoria - The long-awaited report on the motives for farm attacks was on Wednesday referred back to the independent commission because the minister of safety and security is "not satisfied" with it.

Charles Nqakula would have given details of the report at a news briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday. The matter has been dragging on since 2001.

AgriSA's Kobus Visser said it was "worrying that the minister wanted to meddle with a report".

"There should be no involvement by another party. This would undermine the independence of the committee," Visser said.

Bennie van Zyl, general manager of TLU SA said the findings of the committee has now lost credibility.

Nqakula last week said the long-awaited report was on its way. He indicated that it would be released on Wednesday morning.

Earlier this year he said "the desire to rob" seemed to be the main reason for the farm attacks.

Les Xingwa, his spokesperson said Nqakula and Justice Minister Penuell Maduna were "not satisfied with some aspects of the report".

He said Nqakula, Maduna and the nine provincial ministers of safety and security had decided that some aspects of the report had to be clarified.

He would not say what they were.

Xingwa said there was no indication when the ministers would hold talks with the committee.

The report would be submitted to cabinet once the "ambiguities" have been clarified.

He did not want to speculate when this would be.

Visser said it was very important that the report be released as soon as possible.

"There is unnecessary confusion over why the report has not been published yet.

The investigation was requested by the late safety and security minister, Steve Tshwete, in 2001.

Advocate Charl du Plessis, who heads the independent committee, was not available for comment.

- Beeld