Sunday Times E-Edition

Farmers welcome Zondo report on Vrede project

But they demand action against those responsible for the corruption saga

By GRAEME HOSKEN and TANKISO MAKHETHA

● Emerging Free State farmers threatened with death for questioning the government’s R280m Vrede dairy farm project have cautiously welcomed chief justice Raymond Zondo’s instructions that decade-old criminal cases stemming from the corruption saga be reopened.

But former Free State agriculture MEC Mosebenzi Zwane, who was accused of deploying his own “personal enforcers” to kill, assault and threaten those who spoke up, told the Sunday Times he had no idea what the chief justice was talking about.

In his final state capture report, released on Wednesday, Zondo ordered that independent police officers from outside the Free State be appointed to reinvestigate a series of murders, kidnappings, assaults and threats directed at the project’s would-be beneficiaries.

The crimes were allegedly committed on the instructions of some of those linked to implementing the project.

The Zondo commission heard that the Guptas — through such cronies as Zwane, former head of the Free State agriculture department Peter Thabethe and former Free State premier Ace Magashule — used the Vrede dairy farm project to steal money destined for the emerging farmers.

The project’s funds should have been used for the benefit of nearly 100 emerging cattle and dairy farmers in Vrede. Instead the money was channelled offshore through the Guptas’ enterprises in SA, with a portion going towards their lavish Sun City wedding.

Zondo, in his recommendations, called for Thabethe to be criminally prosecuted, and for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and police to investigate the possibility of criminally charging Magashule and Zwane.

Loliwe Ngwenya, whose father Philemon Ngwenya, an intended beneficiary of the project, was killed in October 2018, said: “The case must start again, with a different policeman to investigate the case. No-one has ever been arrested for shooting my dad.”

Emerging farmer Ephraim Dhlamini, who was threatened with death for questioning the project’s legitimacy, welcomed the recommendations but said he did not want empty promises. “We want action so that we know who is responsible for these [threats].”

For Dhlamini the threats have not stopped. About a month ago he received an anonymous SMS, seen by the Sunday Times, that said in Zulu: “Hey man leave the workers alone from the dairy [farm]. If you do not give them their pay before the end of the week, we will kill your daughter first and then your son who works in North West, and then end with this Banele [one of his children] of yours.”

Free State police spokesperson Brig Motantsi Makhele confirmed Dhlamini had opened a case of intimidation in May.

Dhlamini said he was unsure whether the threat was linked to a salary dispute with workers or to the previous death threat.

“Just like the previous threat I don’t think I will get help from the police. I am really worried. It is government’s broken promises which endanger us.”

Zondo, in his latest report, was scathing of Thabethe, Magashule and Zwane, whom he labelled a liar.

He said it was “imperative” that the murder, assault and intimidation cases, in which the victims included officials of the National Treasury and local government who were probing the saga, be reopened.

He said Dhlamini and Meshack Ncongwane, who were the chair and deputy chair of the African Farmers Association, were threatened with death. Ncongwane was also supposed to be a beneficiary of the project.

Zondo said Ngwenya’s alleged killers “are believed to be the contact persons for the former MEC [Zwane]”.

“Moses Chauke, who was coming to investigate the project, was kidnapped, tortured and murdered. His life is said to have been threatened [by a provincial government official] before he was actually killed.”

He said despite video evidence of threats against Dhlamini, the initial police investigation “seems to have stalled, yielded no results or simply did not take place.”

Zondo said Albert Radebe, a DA municipal council member for Phumelela municipality, was assaulted for speaking about cattle dying on the Vrede farm and received no help from the police.

“He became a target of a group of enforcers employed by the department of agriculture in Vrede. He says they were well known as enforcers of Zwane’s policies in Vrede. Radebe was physically attacked by the group.”

Zondo said it was difficult not to notice certain people acting “as personal enforcers or foot soldiers” for Zwane. “This ought not to be left without proper investigation.”

Zwane, responding to questions, demanded to know why he was being targeted by the media.

“What makes you guys think I am the most important person to talk to? He [Zondo] said that there must be an investigation. An investigation means people are still going to investigate. That is my interpretation. If he had had an issue there would be findings. He has not made findings.

“I do not know why everyone is up in arms. An investigation means they must find out if there was any wrongdoing.”

With regard to Zondo’s statements about his “enforcers and foot soldiers”, Zwane said he was considering taking the findings on review. “I am looking at that with my lawyers,” he said. “I do not want to divulge much. There are aspects that one wonders about. It is only fair I take my decision as to whether I take this on review. I am still being advised by my lawyers.”

Police and the Hawks referred questions on Zondo’s recommendations to the NPA’s Investigating Directorate, which was set up to deal with state capture cases.

NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said it was premature to comment because the report needed to be studied first. “It should be noted that these cases may require criminal investigation for the purposes of prosecution as the commission did not conduct criminal investigations.”

Hey man leave the workers alone from the dairy [farm]. If you do not give them their pay before the end of the week, we will kill your daughter first and then your son who works in North West, and then end with this Banele [one of his children] of yours

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2022-06-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-06-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://times-e-editions.pressreader.com/article/281797107677580

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