The former minister who is also the former MEC for Agriculture in the province, Mosebenzi Zwane, appeared alongside two suspects in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday 28 September 2022 on charges of fraud, theft, money laundering and corruption, involving the R288 million meant for the Estina dairy farm project.

ALSO READ: #Estina case back in court; Zwane and accused released on bail

He says the ANC will not recall Zwane as a Member of Parliament at the National Assembly or even as a party member, as per the 54th Nasrec 2017 National Elective Conference policy adoption, which state that members accused of a serious crime must step aside.

ALSO READ: African National Congress (ANC) Constitution

Matebesi says like many others, Zwane would rather be rewarded instead of being dealt with following the accusations levelled against him by the state over the Estina/Vrede Farm.

“This is definitely not the end of the political career of Mosebenzi Zwane. It was just a court appearance but his reputation has been affected for quite some time by those who view the ANC from the outside. Those who are fighting the so-called renewal campaign within the ANC, will still regard him as a friend and will still welcome him in their camp to try and arrest the train which is speeding against corruption not only within the African National Congress (ANC) but across our country,” Matebesi adds.

Zwane appeared in court alongside two of his co-accused, namely Ronica Ragavan and Ugeshni Govender, a former Sahara employee - a company owned by the Guptas. Zwane and Govender were released on bail of R10 000 each by Magistrate Estelle de Lange, setting aside a plea by the state prosecutor, Peter Serunye, that Zwane is released on R20 000 due to the seriousness of the case. De Lange then postponed the matter. The case involves R288 million which was syphoned off the project, leaving over 80 farmers from Vrede in the Phumelele Local Municipality in the province in limbo. She postponed the case to 2 November 2022 with more suspects expected to be added. Ragavan and Govender were also the suspects in a previous Estina matter in 2018, which was provisionally withdrawn, pending further investigations.

Zwane and Govender are said to have handed themselves over to the authorities after fully cooperating with the police who notified them about the warrants of arrest due to their alleged involvement. According to the National Prosecution Authority's (NPA) Independent Investigation (ID) spokesperson, Sindisiwe Seboka, Zwane is charged with fraud, theft, money laundering and corruption linked to the case where R288 million was earmarked for the project.

Matebesi also reacted to the failure of the Free State ANC’s Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) to hold its much anticipated September 2022 Provincial Elective Conference set to elect the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC). He has suggested that the failure of the ruling ANC‘s upper structure in the province to hold its much anticipated elective conference this past weekend, will not benefit either faction within the party.

“It cannot be an outright outcome that this will benefit the Cyril Ramaphosa [faction] because maybe they will need the votes from the Free State - no matter how few votes he may get from this province - but definitely every vote will count and it’s also not good for the presidency for things to go on like this,” Matebesi adds.

ALSO READ: Analyst reacts to ANC Free State's failure to hold conference

In 2021, OFM News reported that the Bloemfontein-based Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in the Free State set aside and declared as unconstitutional and unlawful the ANC's provincial conference which was held in May 2018. This is where MEC for Roads and Transport, Sam Mashinini, was elected as the chairperson of the party; and Agriculture MEC William Bulwane as his deputy. In essence, the judgment by the SCA judges stripped PEC members, including Mashinini - who is a strong Ace Magashule ally - of their positions.  

ALSO READ: FS #ANC conference unlawful

ANC upper structures, including the PECs and IPCs, were required to hold their provincial conferences in June, in preparation for the national conference in December this year. The IPC in the Free State has been embroiled in party factional battles recently.

OFM News