Zondo hears Mkhwebane took statements from beneficiaries of Vrede dairy farm project

A beneficiary of the botched Vrede Dairy Farm Project has told the commission of inquiry into state capture that he and others met with Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane over the failed project and had given her statements.

This is contrary to testimony given on Monday that Mkhwebane had failed to talk to project beneficiaries during her probe.

Adv,Gcabashe asks which government agencies Dhlamini has interacted with in relation to the project. He mentions the Public Protector Adv,Busisiwe Mkhwebane and the Hawks. He says he has a text message from them and they took down statements on a Saturday.#StateCaptureInquiry

— State Capture Commission (@StateCaptureCom) July 23, 2019

This was according to testimony given by Democratic Alliance (DA) member of the Free State legislature Roy Jankielsohn on Monday.

According to Jankielsohn’s testimony, the remedial action contained in Mkhwebane’s 2018 report on the bungled Gupta-linked Estina dairy farm project in the Free State had allowed culprits to avoid accountability.

He said Mkhwebane had failed to hold former premier Ace Magashule, former agriculture executive committee members (MEC) Mosebenzi Zwane and Mamiki Gqabathe, and former head of department (HOD) Peter Thabethe to account for the venture that cost taxpayers more than R300 million.

Dhlamini says the first meeting was held between the community and then Agricultural MEC Mosebenzi Zwane. He says he knows Zwane and his father. He says a number of agricultural officials were also there.#StateCaptureInquiry

— State Capture Commission (@StateCaptureCom) July 23, 2019

ALSO READ: Vrede dairy farm project was ‘a very good idea’, Zondo commission hears

According to him, Mkhwebane failed to talk to project beneficiaries during her probe and merely asked Magashule to implement remedial action.

However, the beneficiary, Ephraim Makhosino Dhlamini, who took the witness stand at the commission on Tuesday, said he and others had met with Mkhwebane and had given her statements.

Dhlamini was responding to a question as to who he had interacted with, with regards to intervening in the failed project.

Dhlamini said as the chairperson of the African Farmers’ Association (AFA), he had interacted with certain government officials, Mkhwebane, and the Hawks to intervene in the botched project.

The witness said the AFA currently represents an estimated 120 small farmers from the area.

Dhlamini says around two years ago they were only 82 members of their farming organisation and currently their number is seating at about 120 members.#stateCaptureInquiry

— State Capture Commission (@StateCaptureCom) July 23, 2019

Dhlamini said he and others had met with Mkhwebane on two occasions and that the public protector had taken statements from them.

The commission continues, watch live courtesy of the SABC:

(Background reporting, Brian Sokutu)

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