The Chairperson of the State Capture Inquiry, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, had a barrage of questions for former Free State’s Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Peter Thabethe, on Friday, 4 October 2019.responded to questions
Vasram and Thabethe were among eight co-accused in the prominent Estina case in the Bloemfontein Regional Court last year. The matter lasted nine months, from February until November when the National Prosecuting Authority provisionally withdrew the charges. Thabethe proved obstructive and the investigators did not gain a critical interview with Vasram. On Friday, Thabethe provided his reasons: he “could not” give the investigators access to a third party, and he wanted to protect Estina’s confidential intellectual property about the dairy.
Thabethe explained he wanted a lawyer representing his department to attend any meeting between the investigators and Vasram. “But why would you not allow him to go without a lawyer from the department?” asked Zondo.The resistance is puzzling if one imagines Thabethe was working in the Free State government’s best interests, and this point was reflected in comments from Zondo and Gcabashe.Mr Vasram […] says if you gave approval he was happy to talk, number one.
But Thabethe continued justifying his conduct, saying that was mere appearance, not the true case and, again, he was protecting intellectual property from competitors. According to Gcabashe, the Free State government paid Estina R280,222,652 over several years. In the 2013-14 financial year, Thabethe’s department paid Estina R113,950,000 in four tranches. However, it was a R30-million payment to Estina in 2012, which prompted repeat questions to Thabethe.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Free State agriculture head denies refusing to help Estina investigationFormer head of the Free State agriculture department, Peter Thabethe, has denied refusing help to National Treasury when they launched an investigation into the controversial Estina dairy farm project in 2013. Complicit in the fraud so obvious a blind man could see it
Source: SundayTimesZA - 🏆 47. / 51 Read more »
Will 'Yeye' start for Highlands against former side SuperSport in the final?Highlands Park coach Owen da Gama has kept his cards close to his chest in the build up to Saturday's MTN8 final against SuperSport United and has kept fans guessing whether veteran midfielder Reneilwe 'Yeye' Letsholonyane will face his employers or not.
Source: TimesLIVE - 🏆 28. / 59 Read more »
Free State agriculture head denies refusing to help Estina investigationFormer head of the Free State agriculture department, Peter Thabethe, has denied refusing help to National Treasury when they launched an investigation into the controversial Estina dairy farm project in 2013. Complicit in the fraud so obvious a blind man could see it
Source: SundayTimesZA - 🏆 47. / 51 Read more »
Credit Suisse won’t say if it is trying to retain staff, as top talent goesPreventing staff defections was why Credit Suisse put former international wealth-management head Iqbal Khan under surveillance
Source: BDliveSA - 🏆 12. / 63 Read more »
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »
Source: SABC News Online - 🏆 32. / 51 Read more »