NELSPRUIT, SOUTH AFRICA – MARCH 02: Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane during a meeting at the Mpumalanga legislature on March 02, 2017 in Nelspruit, South Africa. Mkhwebane told the Mpumalanga legislature that the investigation into millions spent by the province for Nelson Mandela’s funeral services was done and would form part of a national probe. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Sandile Ndlovu)
Public Protector’s Vrede Dairy farm report finds “gross negligence”
While everyone is focussed on Zuma’s transition, Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has released her report on the controversial Gupta linked Vrede Dairy Farm.
NELSPRUIT, SOUTH AFRICA – MARCH 02: Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane during a meeting at the Mpumalanga legislature on March 02, 2017 in Nelspruit, South Africa. Mkhwebane told the Mpumalanga legislature that the investigation into millions spent by the province for Nelson Mandela’s funeral services was done and would form part of a national probe. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Sandile Ndlovu)
Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane released her report on the Vrede Dairy Farm project on Friday morning. In short, people are largely unimpressed with her findings…
Mkhwebane found that the Free State agriculture department had failed to manage and monitor implementation of the terms of agreements regarding budget evaluations and expenditure control.
The Gupta linked company involved with setting up the project, Estina, received payments that were not in line with treasury transcripts. The agreement between Estina and the department was deemed invalid by Mkhwebane.
Free State Premier and ANC Secretary General, Ace Magashule has now been instructed to open disciplinary proceedings against all implicated officials involved in the project. He also has to submit a report on his intended action once the disciplinary process has been completed.
Analysts and members of opposition parties have slammed Mkhwebane’s report for seemingly ignoring any role played in the deal by Magasgule. When the project still in its initial stages, Magashule was known to be closely involved.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane has called the report a whitewash of corruption
“It is frankly mind boggling how it could be that after an almost four year investigation into the Vrede Dairy Project, Public Protector Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane found only that the Free State Department of Agriculture contravened the prescripts of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).”
Maimane also expressed concern that even though there has been a large amount of evidence of grand corruption and money laundering relating to Vrede, “none of this” seems to have been investigated by the Public Protector.
“Neither the people of Vrede or the Free State are any closer to seeing justice for being robbed of R220 million to line the pockets of the Guptas.”
In January, the Hawks raided Magashule’s Premier offices in an attempt to gather specific documents relating to the matter.
Some are even describing the report as a “get out of jail free card” for Magashule.
If the Public Protector isn’t doing her job properly, let’s hope the newly revitalised Hawks leave no stone unturned.
