Corruption and crime: A recipe for food insecurity in South Africa

AS MUCH as I do not want to add another voice to the fiasco at the recent White House meeting between Trump and President Cyril Ramaphosa it is a starting point for an article about how corruption, crime and food security end up in a concoction of another disaster for the citizens of the country.

- CORRIE KRUGER

Ramaphosa stated, in defense of farm murder and genocide accusations that it is not a unique situation as South Africa has a serious problem with crime at all levels. All crime victims and citizens will agree with that statement, although it is the last thing foreign investors want to hear who at consider us as an investment destination.

On August, 27, 2024 Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuizen launched a forensic audit into a R500 million Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) project. OBP, which was founded in 2000, is a state-owned animal vaccine manufacturing entity whose primary mandate is to manufacture animal vaccines.

The Auditor General revealed that a substantial portion of a grant given to OBP in 2013 was unspent and unaccounted for. They further highlighted that OBP is not following basic auditing standards. It is a problem at other state entities. A similar case is that of the Road Accident Fund, which refuses to adhere to the instruction from the Auditor General.

According to Steenhuisen he is concerned about the OBP project, which has been given R500 million to revamp the facility, as "A large part of the R500 million went missing and is unaccounted for." Former Minister of Agriculture Thoko Didiza stated that, "A forensic report on the utilisation of some of the funds was done, and it enabled the OBP to take some of the concerns of sub-contracting to the Special Investigative Unit."

But this is nothing new. In 2022 vaccine shortages were threatening herd immunity in the livestock due to the outbreak of foot and Mouth disease (FMD). During this period OBP dismissed Dr Baptiste Dungu as its CEO.