MINISTER OF DAFF GIVES AWAY R15M CHEQUE

With a week to go to the local government elections, the Minister of Fisheries (ANC) popped up out of the blue to hand a whopping R15 million of taxpayers' money to the "Gansbaai Community".

Most people we spoke to from the fishing community of Gansbaai did not know about the cheque, who the "Gansbaai Community" is or what the intended purpose of the R15 million hand-out was. There is no press statement explaining this hand-out of taxpayers' money but it can be safe to assume that considering the Minister's anathema to fisheries management (remember that this Minister has never bothered to address South Africa's commercial fishing industry of 3000 quota holders who employ more than 40 000 people since her appointment in 2009), her sudden appearance with a R15 million freebie (is it going to support tik habits, abalone poaching, who knows) appears to be nothing more than an abuse of power and public funds.

And we understand that on 12 May the Minister continued with her generosity by handing out R10 million cheques for the Kleinmond community and others.

But of course using taxpayers' money and civil servants to fund the ANC's election campaign is unlawful. The Minister will no doubt deny this abuse but once again the ubiquitous Facebook ensures that the truth will prevail! The Minister's director of "stakeholder liaison", Mr Desmond the civil servant, cadre leaching on the public purse and of course ANC Military Veterans secretary Stevens thankfully provides us with the actual and honest reason for the handouts of public funds.

His Facebook page entry for today records the following pertaining to events on 12 May 2011 -

"Cmde Tina Joemat-Pettersson adressing thousands of fisher men nd women in Struisbaai, launching R10m projects in overberg. ANC leads ANC together building better communities"

So here we have a "civil servant" and a "minister" unashamedly using our taxes to further the political election strategy of the ANC. And they don't give a damn either by posting the fact on Facebook. Banana Republic anyone?