Department probes Morita Forestry’s alleged misuse of tree-planting programme.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has distanced itself from Morita Forestry, following allegations that the company operated an investment scam that cost South Africans hundreds of millions of rand. The department says it had no formal relationship with Morita Forestry, but participated in a tree-planting event where the company donated about 300 trees. The department says Morita Forestry may have used its participation in the One Million Trees Programme to create an impression of legitimacy. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to the department's Chief Director for Forestry Development, Tebogo Mathiane