Department of Agriculture defends itself after wasteful spending audit

THE Department of Agriculture has moved to defend itself following concern over the Auditor-General’s report indicating a qualified audit opinion and a surge in fruitless and wasteful expenditure during the 2024/25 financial year.

- YOGASHEN PILLAY

The latest audit findings covering the 2024/25 financial year ending on 31 March 2025 were tabled by the Auditor-General in Parliament on 7 October, showing that the department received a qualified audit opinion despite spending 94% of its budget while achieving only 83% of its target.

The department's spokesperson, Moses Rannditsheni, last week said the audit pertains to a period before the establishment of the new standalone department. "The Auditor-General’s findings relate to the former Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) before the institutional split took effect," Rannditsheni said.

"Simply extracting data from those historical programme components does not reflect the leadership structure, mandate or operating systems of the new Department of Agriculture, which only came into being at the end of the 2024/25 financial year."