MEMBER of Parliament and former Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Mosebenzi Zwane, who the Zondo inquiry into state capture fingered in the dairy farm scandal, is expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s court on Wednesday.
This is in relation to the corruption in the R250m Estina dairy project meant to empower black farmers, with no payments ever made to the very black beneficiaries, according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
The chairperson of parliament’s portfolio committee on transport is expected to apply for bail.
Zwane, who was the MEC for agriculture and rural development in the Free State at the time of the Estina scheme, is accused of making millions available for the powerful Gupta Family.
He played a central role in the establishment of the Vrede Dairy Farm Project, which was handed to Estina, a Gupta-linked company, without a tender.
Estina director Kamal Vasram, a former Gupta employee, had no experience in farming or agriculture.
The indictment alleges the Guptas used some of the money to pay for an extravagant family wedding at Sun City in 2013 and to buy a private jet and a fleet of luxury cars.
Estina also transferred R10-million directly into Atul Gupta’s bank account.
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