Holden, who is a researcher employed by Shadow World Investigations in London, on Thursday told the Commission how funds for the project allegedly flowed from what they were intended to be used for.

Holden's testimony put the spotlight on the project's offshore money flows and how the project was allegedly used as a front for money laundering. OFM News previously reported that over R220 million earmarked for Estina, to assist upcoming 80 farmers in Vrede, was looted from the province without beneficiaries seeing a single cent.

Previous testimonies before the Zondo Commission has put a spotlight on how the department has made a R30 million up-front payment to Estina without any work being done or services rendered.  The commission has heard how Estina’s account only had just over R16 in its bank account on 4 July 2012, days before the provincial government deposited an amount of R30 million into its account.

Holden on the other hand testified that while the project received around R283 million from the Free State government the amount, “through a complex money washing system”, ballooned to nearly R1 billion.

Holden is on Friday expected to shed more light on the Gupta-linked project and how Free State government funds were allegedly flowed in and outside the country.

OFM News