21 Jul 2013

Minister of Agriculture Mr Christiaan De Graaff has vowed not to resign nor take the blame for the collapse of Botswana Meat Commission (BMC).

Submitting before the Parliamentary Select Committee that investigates the collapse of the national abattoir, Mr De Graaff said even if the buck stops with him, he is guilty of no offence.

Several committee members earlier on grilled him to take the blame because  of allegatioms that he was part and parcel of the whole  BMC saga.

Asked who should take the blame and responsibility, Minister De Graaff responded “BMC management and its board, I am not going to take the blame for the collapse of the abattoir because I acted accordingly.” 

He said some of the actions that he took include replacing some board members and chief executive because of serious allegations leveled against them.

He said he went beyond his mandate by taking some of the BMC issues before Cabinet and the office of the Vice President.

He revealed that BMC problems started way back before he became a minister and that he cannot be accused simply because he is at the helm of the ministry now.

He said all the people whom he appointed either as board members or CEOs were recommended to him through government structures and systems.

He stated that some of the corrupt allegations regarding feedloting at the BMC that were reported to him were forwarded to the Directorate of Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) for investigations and some of the people were cleared of.

Minister De Graaff informed the committee that BMC operational issues lies with the board and management not his ministry which is responsible for policy issues.

He said as a minister, he has no power to overrule the decision of the board even though at some point he went beyond his mandate and did so.

The minister was summoned by the committee to amongst others, defend accusations leveled against him by some people who earlier on appeared before the committee.

Some witnesses had blamed him for his political interference which ultimately led to the collapse of BMC. ENDS