Hon Chair, the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries held its public hearings on 11 and 12 June 2011 to consider submissions related to transformation in the fisheries sector of our economy. While on paper the fishing industry is said to have been transformed, in reality conditions of employment leave a lot to be desired. In this day and age, cooks on the fishing vessels offshore are paid according to race classifications in South Africa. Africans are paid R150 per person per day, while their so-called coloured and white counterparts are paid R480 per day.
Cases of fraud and fronting are rampant in this industry. In encouraging more of our people to come forward with information on such cases, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries must act swiftly to resolve such cases of unscrupulous fraudsters. Equally, our law enforcement agencies must move with speed in dealing with such cases, because fraud is a punishable crime. Presenting a fraudulent tax clearance certificate must be an act that requires a complete ban of those fraudsters by our able government.
Lastly, because it impacts on dealing with a whole range of ills in the branch, the incorporation of the Fisheries Branch into the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries headquarters is urgent. We should stop having parallel communication in terms of audit, legal and information technology units between the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Fisheries Branch.
On behalf of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, I submit the report for adoption by this august House.
There was no debate.
Chair, I move -
That the Report be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.