Report blames market staff for losses

A NUMBER of staff at the Port Elizabeth Fresh Produce Market have been implicated in a preliminary forensic report as possibly being responsible for the millions of rands in financial losses incurred between 2010 and last year.

The forensic investigation was conducted after the initial audit of the market's finances in March 2012 revealed that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality had lost out on millions of rands in income.

The audit showed there was a complete lack of control over the market's finances, administration and security.

In a confidential report to the economic development, tourism and agriculture portfolio committee, which met yesterday, director Anele Qaba wrote that his department commissioned the second internal audit to look at matters pertaining to financial misconduct and possible fraud. - Rochelle de Kock