Posts for August 2019
13 August 2019
Former Free State agriculture MEC Mosebenzi Zwane pressured Phumelela municipality into leasing farming land for the Estina dairy farm project in 2012, to the extent that his team drew up the resolutions – usually done by council – that would give the project the green light. This was the testimony of former municipal manager Moses Moremi before the commission of inquiry into state capture.
Phumelela municipal council rushed into Vrede deal with no consideration
15 August 2019
The Free State government went with Indian company Paras in the Estina integrated dairy farm project in 2012 because no-one in South Africa was interested in supporting it, according to Peter Thabethe, the former head of the provincial agriculture department – and implicated by several witnesses in spearheading the project, which was allegedly mismanaged and from which over R200-million has reportedly been looted, leaving its intended beneficiaries out in the cold.
Former Free State agriculture head Thabethe discusses his role in Vrede saga
19 August 2019
Former justice minister Jeff Radebe initiated the push in 2014 for Mxolisi Nxasana to vacate his position as the national director of public prosecutions, which eventually happened in 2015. According to Nxasana, former president Jacob Zuma seemed to be under immense pressure to fire him, following some false rumour peddling by Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi that Nxasana would reinstate corruption charges against Zuma.
Jiba, Mrwebi spread rumours to induce Zuma to fire Mxolisi Nxasana
20 August 2019
Former head of the Free State agriculture department Peter Thabethe has conceded that he went into an agreement with Gupta-linked Estina in 2012 to run the provincial government’s multi-million-rand dairy farm project in Vrede with no feasibility study in hand, nor approval from the local municipality to use its land.
No due diligence or feasibility study done before Estina deal drawn up
26 August 2019
A former senior staffer in the office of former minister in the presidency, the late Collins Chabane, has confirmed before the commission of inquiry into state capture that the minister did indeed receive an instruction in 2011 from former president Jacob Zuma to fire Themba Maseko. In his testimony before the commission Zuma denied that he had given such an instruction.
Zuma lied about Maseko sacking, says official
28 August 2019
Former Free State MEC of economic development Mxolisi Dukwana wants to see ANC secretary–general Ace Magashule in jail for his involvement in what he calls the “asbestos heist” during Magashule’s time as premier. Dukwana is testifying before the commission of inquiry into state capture, and is into his second day.
“Blesser” Ace should be in jail
29 August 2019
Evidence led at the commission of inquiry into state capture on Friday focused on the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) funding to EML Energy, the black-owned company roped into the fuel procurement strategy of South African Airways (SAA) in 2016 in the name of transformation. The IDC’s chief risk officer, Mark Mainganya, was in the witness chair.
Lax approval process for multi-million-rand IDC loans
29 August 2019
Two months after giving evidence before the commission of inquiry into state capture in June, Mahikeng businesswoman Babadi Tlatsana has fled the country in fear for her safety. Tlatsana’s destination remains a secret.
