Members of the KwaZulu-Natal's standing committee on public accounts on Tuesday called for action against agriculture department officials fingered in a damning forensic report released in 2007.

The investigation report compiled by Ernst & Young highlighted in detail numerous irregularities in the management of the department.

It recommended that 15 department officials be disciplined for various offences.

The report, which was initiated after the department had an unauthorised expenditure of R85.5-million, also recommended that recoveries be initiated against seven service providers fingered in the report.

"It is a pity that we are asking new administrators to answer these questions. These people were not involved. There are people who benefited. We call on government to deal with the officials," said committee member, Alex Hamilton.

Problems in the department began in 2006 when it emerged that it had overspent its budget by more than R125-million and that more than R85.5-million had gone missing.

The then MEC Gabriel Ndabandaba was removed from his position when corruption was discovered in the department.

He was replaced by Mtholephi Mthimkhulu and the head of the department, Jabulani Mjwara, was replaced by Modidima Mannya.

In June 2007, the forensic audit report was presented to the MEC for agriculture and the department of finance took the report to the Scorpions, which has since been replaced with the Directorate for High Priority Crimes Unit.

Mjwara resigned in April 2007.

Mthimkhulu suspended Mannya as the head of department in 2008, allegedly following tensions between him and other senior managers.

Siddiq Adam, the current acting head of department, told the committee on Tuesday that the department was struggling to find documents detailing how the money was spent.

John Steenhuisen, another committee member, said he shared Adam's frustration.

"I can share his frustration because no one has been held accountable. We need to see tangible actions taken against those responsible for the mess that we are dealing with now."

Part of the R85.5-million unauthorised expenditure was used for a failed mushroom and rice project that emanated as a result of a visit to China by department officials.

The project, which cost taxpayers R3.6-million, was started without conducting a feasibility study.

According to resolutions of the committee, the report had not been made available to the relevant officials in the department in order to take action against people cited in it for alleged irregularities, negligence and mismanagement.

The committee on Tuesday authorised R8.6-million of the R85.5-million over-expenditure while R76.8 still remained an unauthorised expenditure.

The R8.6-million related to classical swine fever which broke out during the 2005/06 financial year.

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