Feike can confirm that DAFF's latest and most controversial DDG, the grating Greta Apelgren-Narkedien, has been removed from her post as DDG and "re-deployed" in the parlance of the ANC cadre to the KZN Housing Ministry! Not bad. From heading up fisheries to housing. Who needs to know anything about the subject matter of the job they occupy under this government. Expertise? What is that for?
BUT, now that DAFF is without a DDG again, will the Minister or the Acting DG or other Acting senior official in the acting department of fisheries, please let us know how it intends allocating fishing rights in time this year considering that Narkedien often boasted that she would use her vast governance and managerial experience to ensure a proper and timeous rights allocation process?
Apparently, Mr Desmond Stevens, an MK Veteran, and current leader of MKVA in the Western Cape will be appointed acting DDG. The Minister again neglected the competencies required in running sustainable fisheries management in the country, forcing herself to appointing Mr Stevens when she had a choice of at least four credible Chief Directors who can act and do justice to this work. Apparently Mr Stevens has been blackmailing abd bad mouthing these officials so that they are persona non-grata in the Minister's eye, blasting them as incompetent when they are being professional and perhaps their non-participation in politics, which is corrent in a democracy that public servant has to be neutral in order to execute their mandate without favour, and effictively. What is worse is tgat Mr Stevens was controversially appointed acting Chief Director Marine Resources Management, now he managed to push himself for DDG, but he hardly possess a matric or even post matric qualification, which these jobs he has been occupying require. It is election year and quotas have to be allocated and it is clear what will happen. I wonder how will these credible and qualified Chief Directors will operateunder such an incapacitated acting DDG. This is a real fall from grace by the used-to-be exemplary fisheries management, revered worldwide and within FAO circles. This is a typical example of a failed democracy. We can only watch and see where the vessel will crash and sink.
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