The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLF) was the worst of the bunch, sending provincial land reform director Samfana Mahlangu, who came in the place of his director general Mdududzi Shabane and looked like he had drawn the shortest straw at the last minute.

He arrived much later than the he was expected to present and clearly knew very little about what he was expected to speak about. The department had also not made a submission to the commission prior to the hearing as requested.

Reading verbatim from a Powerpoint presentation, Malhangu said that his department did not have a formal relationship with the DMR. How a department that is the custodian of land and rural development does not have a relationship with the mining department, who grant mining licenses in predominantly rural areas, was only one of the things that baffled the sitting panelists.

“We are told of the devastating impact of mining in these rural areas, where people who were dependent on agriculture are now destitute, and this is the level of presentation that you bring?” questioned Ameermia.

Suffice to say, the commissioners were not impressed. Ameermia reprimanded Mahlangu for his department appearing not to take the hearing seriously, saying he should not answer their questions because he is under oath and could very well “compromise your minister and your director general”.

“There is no point talking to people who do not know what they are talking about,” he said.

The hearing will resume on the 26th and 28th of September, when it will hear from mining companies, municipalities, communities, as well as the DRDLF who were asked to return to make an presentation that could be taken seriously.

Source: Moneyweb