Reports previously indicated Zwane’s testimony would be delivered at 10:00 am, but the commission has since republished the time of his appearance on their social media platforms. 

Zwane, who now Chairs the Transport Portfolio Committee in Parliament, is expected to answer to decisions made whilst he was the MEC of the then-named Cooperative Government and Human Settlements Department regarding the housing project worth more than R1 billion. 

OFM News’ Katleho Morapela previously reported that last month the Commission heard how the tender process was abandoned in the implementation of the project and swiftly replaced with a database of contractors and suppliers under Zwane’s orders. It is alleged the former MEC, went as far as handpicking contractors that were included in that database. Furthermore, it is alleged that he instructed his department to make advance payments to contractors for work that ended up never being done. These advance payments amounted to R500 million.

His testimony before the commission comes just weeks after the seven people arrested for their involvement in the R255 million tender for the audit of asbestos housing in the province, were arrested and promptly released out on bail ranging between R50 000 and R500 000. The former head of the Free State Human Settlements Department Nthimotse Mokhesi;  businessman Sello Radebe; the former Director General (DG) of the National Human Settlements Department Thabane Zulu; and former Mangaung Metro Mayor Olly Mlamleli were granted R100 000 bail. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Johannesburg company Blackhead Consulting Edwin Sodi paid R500 000 for bail. Free State Human Settlements official Mahlomola Matlakala and businessman, Kgotso Monyeki, were released out on R50 000 bail, down from the 100 000 proposed by prosecutor Johan de Nysschen. The prosecution in this matter is ready to proceed to trial, with De Nysschen telling the court, that the investigations into the asbestos housing audit deal, are near completion. That case has been postponed to 11 November. The Free State Human Settlements Department in 2014 awarded Sodi a R255 million worth tender in a joint venture with Diamond Hill Trading, owned by slain Welkom businessman, Igo Mpambani. In his testimony at the Zondo Commission previously, Sodi admitted failure to declare that his company had no accreditation to carry out the entire project and that he had invested in a residential property in Bloemfontein with the then Head of the Department, Nthimotse Mokhesi.

OFM News