Martin Tsoametsi is expected to testify about the controversial R1 billion's worth housing deal that was signed off by the department in 2010.

Tsoametsi will take the stand after Zwane testified last week that he was only acting on instructions given by the Executive Council of the province in the implementation of the housing deal, and was advised by senior officials in his department throughout the process.

Testifying before the Commission on Friday, Zwane said he was told to create a new database of contractors and suppliers after an open tender process was abandoned. He said this process was also approved by the then Head of the Department, Gift Mokoena, and the then Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Seipati Dlamini.

Responding to questions as to whether he never saw anything wrong with the creation of a new database instead of following a tender process, Zwane told the commission he was told by the accounting officer and the CFO that the department has for years been doing that without any hiccups.

Whilst Zwane's testimony has raised eyebrows over his lack of accountability and ignorance, the two former heads of this department, Nthimotse Mokhesi and his predecessor, Gift Mokoena, have come under fire for failing to answer questions as to why they signed off on the deal, and why no one has been held accountable for this housing contract nearly a decade later.

Mokhesi's testimony before the commission has drawn much attention to how the department has on several occasions failed to follow proper procurement procedures and how contractors and suppliers were paid over R600 million while no houses were built.

Mokoena's testimony has, on the other hand, put much scrutiny on how unknown contractors were suddenly appointed by Zwane. 

Zwane, who is also implicated in the controversial Estina project during his tenure as the Free State Agriculture MEC, is alleged to have hand-picked some of the contractors. 

However, Zwane has told the commission the legality of the database process had not been put to question during his tenure at the department. He told Deputy Chief Justice, Raymond Zondo, that he would have put the officials who were advising him to account should he have known that the creation of a new database and the abandonment of a tender process was unlawful.

OFM News