An archive photo of the controversial Vrede dairy farm (Photo provided by the DA)
The DA in the Free State has welcomed the return of the Gupta-related Vrede dairy project case to the court roll, but says full accountability must still follow.
Roy Jankielsohn, DA leader in the Free State, says the case’s return to court is an important step in the pursuit of justice in one of the Free State’s best-known corruption scandals.
“Although the prosecution of those involved is a positive step, this case goes far beyond a single criminal case,” says Jankielsohn.
Maroela Media reported earlier that the Vrede dairy project was initially launched as an agricultural development project in the Free State to benefit emerging farmers. However, the project fell into controversy after investigations found that millions of rands worth of public money was handled by, among others, Gupta-related companies, while the intended beneficiaries apparently never received the benefits that were promised to them.
The case was transferred to the High Court in Bloemfontein in 2022. Among the accused were Mosebenzi Zwane, former minister of mineral resources and then former Free State MEC for agriculture, as well as several former heads of the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The defendants stood trial on charges related to, among other things, fraud, corruption and money laundering.
The case was later struck off the roll after the court ruled the defendants were not ready to plead, due, among other things, to issues regarding the availability of electronic evidence. The NPA’s investigation directorate indicated at the time that the case would be placed back on the roll as soon as this process was concluded.
Jankielsohn says findings from the public protector’s report and other investigations into the Vrede dairy project, including findings about persons identified by the Zondo Commission on state capture, have shown serious management failures, political interference and the misuse of public money.
According to him, the case should not be limited to administrative or criminal consequences only.
“The DA maintains that accountability must also include political accountability, and that all recommendations arising from these investigations must be carried out.”
Jankielsohn says the DA has, in accordance with the public protector’s recommendations, already filed criminal charges with law enforcement authorities to ensure that those responsible for the project’s failure are held accountable.
However, according to the DA, the real victims remain the 61 intended beneficiaries of the project. “They have been deprived of the benefits that were promised to them.”
The party estimates that more than R475 million has been spent on the project since its inception, while the current Nulane case of R25 million is only a small part of the larger scandal.
The DA says that everyone who was responsible for the scandal must be held accountable, regardless of their position, and that every aspect of the case that has been pointed out by oversight and investigation bodies must be fully dealt with.