Fishing rights questioned

The DA has queried the lawfulness of the fishing rights allocation process after thousands of applicants were unsuccessful and subsequently without a source of income.

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They have requested public protector Thuli Madonsela to investigate the matter and have submitted an urgent application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act for the score sheets and any other data used by the department of agriculture to award fishing rights.

The last allocation of fishing rights were made in 2005 by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) and expired on 31 December 2013.

Only 600 out of 3 490 applicants were successful. Only 215 applications for traditional line-fishing rights out of 1 556 applications were proved.

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The DA is concerned that no explanation has been given as to why so many fisherman were not given licences, some of whom have had licences for 20 years.

DAFF will be holding a press conference on 7 January to clarify the issues surrounding the permits.

An earlier complaint by the DA led to Madonsela’s investigation into the irregular awarding of an R800-million tender to the Sekunjalo Marine Service Consortium to manage the state’s fishery vessels.

The report indicated that DAFF minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson was guilty of maladministration, improper and unethical conduct with regards to the awarding of the Sekunjalo contract.