She responded to news reports that she allegedly took the cattle - worth R500 000 - meant for an emerging farmer in her hometown of Delareyville near Lichtenburg. Tlhape’s spokesperson, Emelda Setlhako, told OFM News reports that the Hawks is investigating the case are also false. Setlhako says the emerging farmer involved was unemployed during his application to be a beneficiary of the project. She said before he could benefit, he became a government employee, automatically disqualifying him to be a beneficiary.

"We as the department are still waiting for AgriDelight's report to indicate to us exactly how they distributed the cattle. The Hawks is not investigating the MEC. When they came they did not say anything about the MEC when they visited the department earlier this year."

Setlhako says the matter between them and AgriDelight on claims that the MEC gave an instruction to deliver a herd of Simbra cattle to her farm in Magaliesburg on June the 23rd is sub judice and she cannot comment.

She said during their interaction earlier this year with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) there was never an indication that it is investigating the MEC. She says the contract between the department and AgriDelight has since expired. She further says they are still waiting for a report from AgriDelight to inform them as to where the cattle were delivered.

OFM News/Lucky Nkuyane