Estina
Guptas fraudulently claimed R9m in tax rebates from Sars, Zondo hears
The state capture commission wants that money to be added to the R280 million of public money that flowed to the Guptas from the Free State government.
Researcher Paul Holden describes some of the reasons for the intricate flows: “I suspect two primary purposes; the one is to make the tracing of the funds slightly more difficult, and the second is that it creates a break for Estina, which can be used to justify if there ever was an investigation.”
Members were protesting outside the ANC’s headquarters at Luthuli House in Johannesburg on Monday.
The NPA said it couldn’t yet confirm details around when the those implicated in the fraud case would formally be charged.
Thabethe is concluding his evidence on the project, which allegedly siphoned R200 million that was destined for smallholder farmers.
Former Free State Finance MEC Elizabeth Rockman has contradicted a former Vrede municipal manager who told the state capture commission of inquiry that she once called to arrange a meeting with the Gupta-linked Estina company.
This was part of the evidence by former head of the Free State Agriculture Department Peter Thabethe.
Peter Thabethe was expected to lead more evidence at the state capture commission on the Vrede dairy farm.
Doctor Radebe made the allegation at the state capture commission of inquiry in Parktown on Thursday.
Free State legislature member Roy Jankielsohn has taken the stand at the Zondo inquiry to give his side of the story in the Estina dairy farm scandal.
This includes wrapping up its Gupta naturalisation inquiry to determine whether due process was followed in awarding citizenship to members of the controversial family to advance their state capture motives.
It’s been six months since the eight-accused made their first court appearance but the state says it has still not wrapped up the investigation.
This is the second preservation order against the Guptas which has been set aside by the courts because of a lack of evidence against the accused.
The NPA says insolvency practitioner Eugene Nel has already begun the process of preserving the millions of rand transferred to Dubai by the Gupta family.
The Hawks' Hangwani Mulaudzi says after speaking to Ajay Gupta’s attorneys, they expected him to hand himself over to the authorities.
In her report, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane has found the Free State Agriculture Department guilty of gross misconduct and maladministration.
Mkhwebane says she intends to sue the DA’s Glynnis Breytenbach and Werner Horn for allegedly claiming she was a state security agency's spy before she was appointed to her position last year.