Testifying before the State Capture Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday, Dlamini said accountants had no say in how budgets were deviated to make way for the Estina project, or on how to prevent wasteful, fruitless and irregular expenditure.

More than R220 million, earmarked for this project to assist upcoming farmers in Vrede, was looted from the province without yielding any positive results for the intended beneficiaries. Dlamini testified that intended beneficiaries have indeed not benefited from the project.

Testimonies by several intended beneficiaries, and former accounting officer, Peter Thabethe, before the Commission last year, indicated how millions were paid into the Gupta-linked Estina company upfront without any work being done or services being rendered.

The commission has previously shockingly heard how Estina’s account only had a balance of just under R17.00 on 4 July 2012, days before the provincial government deposited an amount of R30 million into the account, and how the department also paid millions into the Estina account without conducting a proper feasibility study or drawing up a proper business plan for the project.

Dlamini on Wednesday also confirmed that the Department's then MEC, Mosebenzi Zwane, initiated the project and explained how it was odd - taking into account that projects were usually initiated by District Services.

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