Former cabinet minister Mosebenzi Zwane is expected to hand himself over to law enforcement agencies in Bloemfontein on Wednesday, as he is implicated in a case in which millions in public funds meant to empower black farmers were allegedly looted.
Zwane was Free State agriculture MEC when the controversial Vrede dairy farm project meant to benefit emerging farmers from his hometown, was undertaken.
The case is one of the nine “seminal” state capture cases national director of public prosecutions Shamila Batohi said they were planning to soon bring before the courts.
In May, Batohi promised she would place such cases on the court roll within six months. She made the announcement during her presentation of the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) annual performance plan to parliament’s portfolio committee on justice and correctional services.
Zwane, a known Gupta ally, had personally made promises to aspirant dairy farmers at the local town hall in 2012, according to intended beneficiaries.
The NPA’s Investigative Directorate, which stated “a former minister is expected to appear [in court] in relation to Estina”, has been investigating the case.
In 2018 the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the NPA obtained a preservation order on properties and assets of Gupta associates who allegedly laundered money stolen from the dairy farm project.
Meshack Ncongwane was among about 100 intended beneficiaries meant to benefit from about R220m which was meant for the project but ended up with companies linked to the Gupta family.
When told about Zwane’s pending arrest, Ncongwane said he was happy the wheels of justice were turning.
“Maybe such developments will help scare others who are in positions of power. We are still struggling,” Ncongwane said on Wednesday.
State capture inquiry chair chief justice Raymond Zondo recommended Zwane be investigated for possible criminal conduct. He also recommended lifestyle audits be conducted on all senior managers and Free State government politicians who had been involved in the Vrede dairy farm project.
TimesLIVE
