127:, the Premier of the Free State, in connection with the project. Charges were laid against two state officials and a number of associates of the Gupta family. However, the National Prosecuting Authority provisionally dropped the charges in November 2018 by citing lack of co-operation from authorities in India and the
103:
claimed that only 1% of the R220 million allocated to the dairy by the Free State government was spent on actual farming, with most of it being diverted to associates of the Guptas. Bank statements showed that the Free State government paid R334 million to the farm over two years, with the project
161:
released a report finding irregularities, gross negligence and maladministration and recommending for
Magashule to institute disciplinary action against implicated officials. The Public Protector did not investigate alleged links between the project and the Gupta family. It claimed financial and
174:
and the Guptas) and for making a scapegoat of minor players. The
Democratic Alliance and the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac) successfully applied to have Mkhwebane's report on the project declared unconstitutional and set aside, with the Gauteng High Court
145:
in relation to the provincial treasury's role in the project. Rockman claimed that she had met the Guptas multiple times and said that the project should have been put through an open tender process, as it was unknown to the department as to why Estina had been chosen.
221:
175:
finding that the Public
Protector had failed in her duties to investigate the Vrede Dairy Project. The Public Protector's office was ordered to pay the costs of the challenge, with some of the costs awarded against Mkhwebane personally.
162:
resource constraints, which resulted in
Mkhwebane being summoned to appear before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services to explain those comments. The report was criticised by the opposition
50:
The aim of the R250m dairy project was to empower black farmers, but bank statements show that no payments were made to black beneficiaries. The dairy farm was just a shell through which money was sent to
886:
382:
142:
597:
423:
263:
496:
612:
984:
626:
582:
182:, who was then under investigation by The Public Protector's office, attended Mkhwebane's 50th birthday party with another person accused of corruption, Bongani Bongo.
467:
651:
523:
1040:
289:
538:
553:
1005:
453:
1035:
482:
249:
567:
951:
167:
32:
359:
1025:
1020:
65:
handed over the project to 65 local farmers for management and implementation, with oversight from a trust and executive team.
876:
696:
438:
336:
1010:
91:. Newspaper reports alleged that R30 million in government funds intended for the project were instead laundered through
163:
222:"2014/15 Estimates of Provincial Revenue & Expenditure: VOTE 11 – Department of Agriculture and Rural Development"
119:
had paid to the Gupta family, calling it a "scheme designed to defraud and steal monies from the department". The
104:
being transferred most of the money to its bank accounts in India and only small amounts spent on the farm itself.
314:
1015:
108:
383:"#GuptaLeaks: The Dubai Laundromat – How millions milked from Free State government paid for Sun City wedding"
134:
In
October 2018, one of the whistleblowers over corruption allegations in the project was found and murdered.
861:
397:
856:
83:
newspaper alleged corruption, violations of
Treasury rules and mismanagement and linked the project to the
424:"Holy cow! Bank statements reveal how Free State government paid Guptas over R330m for Estina dairy farm"
264:"Holy cow! Bank statements reveal how Free State government paid Guptas over R330m for Estina dairy farm"
938:
903:
40:
979:
729:
100:
59:
689:
74:
598:"Vrede dairy farm project: Gauteng High Court rules Public Protector's report is unconstitutional"
123:
unit of South Africa's
Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) raided the offices of
749:
739:
724:
627:"Mkhwebane's birthday bash: 'Irregular' to host a guest she's investigating - civil watchdogs"
969:
917:
866:
36:
945:
734:
583:"Public Protector's Vrede report 'an insult to intelligence of all South Africans' - SAFTU"
128:
120:
96:
613:"Vrede dairy farm project: Public Protector's office and Mkhwebane will have to pay costs"
8:
1030:
974:
931:
871:
682:
830:
158:
79:
910:
825:
785:
652:"'Shameless' - Public Protector criticised for celebrating 50th with 'dodgy' guests"
170:
for exonerating the main political figures responsible for the scandal (Magashule,
155:
39:
Province. The dairy was established as a public-private partnership with Estina, a
840:
744:
179:
171:
116:
43:
company, as part of the Free State provincial government's agricultural project,
524:"Public Protector quietly releases Vrede dairy report, finds 'gross negligence'"
820:
805:
790:
199:
138:
999:
924:
800:
765:
719:
497:"Ex-finance MEC says Vrede dairy farm project should have been put to tender"
124:
112:
62:
835:
815:
780:
774:
84:
795:
468:"NPA provisionally drops Estina dairy case against Guptas and associates"
115:
and seized R220 million that Free State
Department of Agriculture under
810:
705:
88:
554:"What the public protector's Vrede Dairy probe failed to investigate"
143:
The
Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture
27:
project established in 2012 on
Krynaauwslust Farm, near the town of
439:"Hawks Raid FS Premier's Office Over Gupta-linked Vrede Dairy Farm"
290:"Vrede Dairy: Empowerment project finally handed over to farmers"
887:
Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture
539:"Mkhwebane summoned to Parly for urgent meeting on Vrede report"
178:
Mkhwebane's impartiality was called into question in 2020 after
770:
358:
Sole, Sam; Timse, Tabelo; BrĂĽmmer, Stefaans (7 February 2014).
674:
92:
52:
28:
24:
568:"Mkhwebane's Vrede dairy farm probe is a whitewash: Maimane"
360:"Free State dairy project damned in treasury investigation"
99:
and accounted for as a business expense. In January 2018,
454:"Seven Vrede dairy farm project accused released on bail"
47:. Estina was given the land under a free 99 year lease.
483:"Vrede dairy farm project whistleblower found murdered"
380:
95:, paid for the 2013 wedding ceremony of Vega Gupta at
596:
Seleka, Ntwaagae; Chabalala, Jeanette (20 May 2019).
137:In October 2019, former Free State MEC for Finance
107:In January 2018, the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the
997:
357:
337:"'Gupta' dairy project milks Free State coffers"
595:
417:
415:
250:"NPA freezes R220m, land linked to Gupta farm"
690:
412:
68:
111:took control of the farm in a move against
697:
683:
149:
610:
551:
522:Myburgh, Pieter-Louis (9 February 2018).
451:
374:
166:as a whitewash of corruption, and by the
1041:Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality
452:Chabalala, Jeanette (15 February 2018).
381:amaBhungane and Scorpio (30 June 2016).
244:
242:
168:South African Federation of Trade Unions
33:Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality
536:
521:
480:
436:
395:
315:"'Guptas' farm cash cows in Free State"
214:
998:
611:Chabalala, Jeanette (15 August 2019).
678:
580:
552:Mailovich, Claudi (9 February 2018).
421:
287:
239:
202:. Free State Online. 25 February 2013
1006:Economy of the Free State (province)
581:Spies, Derrick (10 February 2018).
422:Smith, Charles (13 February 2019).
227:. National Treasury of South Africa
13:
1036:Political scandals in South Africa
481:Grobler, Riaan (23 October 2018).
437:Bateman, Barry (25 January 2018).
396:Mashego, Abram (21 January 2018).
351:
329:
307:
14:
1052:
537:Bornman, Jan (11 February 2018).
192:
288:Evans, Julia (14 January 2022).
644:
619:
604:
589:
574:
560:
545:
530:
515:
489:
474:
470:. Times Live. 28 November 2018.
460:
445:
430:
389:
704:
570:. Times Live. 9 February 2018.
281:
256:
109:National Prosecuting Authority
1:
1026:Controversies in South Africa
1021:Dairy farming in South Africa
185:
877:Nkandla firepool controversy
200:"Premier promises more jobs"
7:
16:South African dairy project
10:
1057:
1011:Corruption in South Africa
339:. amaBhungane. 7 June 2013
317:. amaBhungane. 31 May 2013
252:. News24. 20 January 2018.
41:Black Economic Empowerment
980:2021 South African unrest
962:
895:
849:
758:
730:Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo
712:
69:Allegations of corruption
60:Premier of the Free State
398:"Inside the Gupta heist"
87:and allies of President
75:investigative journalism
58:On 14 January 2022, the
904:The President's Keepers
150:Public Protector report
750:Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
740:Nompumelelo Ntuli Zuma
725:Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla
1016:Farms in South Africa
970:Jacob Zuma Foundation
918:The Republic of Gupta
362:. Mail & Guardian
953:Rape of Lady Justice
896:Media and literature
735:Gugulethu Zuma-Ncube
129:United Arab Emirates
939:Enemy of the People
882:Vrede Dairy Project
164:Democratic Alliance
80:Mail & Guardian
23:is a South African
21:Vrede Dairy Project
985:Presidential Trips
862:Corruption charges
831:Busisiwe Mkhwebane
441:. Eyewitness News.
159:Busisiwe Mkhwebane
154:In February 2018,
993:
992:
975:Nkandla homestead
911:Our Poisoned Land
857:Contempt of court
850:Events and trials
826:Nomvula Mokonyane
786:Hlaudi Motsoeneng
503:. 17 October 2019
77:published in the
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156:Public Protector
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841:Ivor Ichikowitz
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745:Thuthukile Zuma
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556:. Business Day.
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180:Mosebenzi Zwane
172:Mosebenzi Zwane
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117:Mosebenzi Zwane
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5:
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821:Shaun Abrahams
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806:Mzwanele Manyi
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791:Richard Mdluli
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713:Family members
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294:Daily Maverick
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139:Elzabe Rockman
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801:Nomgcobo Jiba
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766:Arthur Fraser
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720:Duduzane Zuma
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141:testified at
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125:Ace Magashule
122:
118:
114:
113:state capture
110:
105:
102:
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82:
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76:
73:In mid-2013,
66:
64:
63:Sisi Ntombela
61:
56:
54:
48:
46:
45:Mohoma-Mobung
42:
38:
34:
30:
26:
22:
952:
944:
937:
932:A Simple Man
930:
923:
916:
909:
902:
881:
836:Carl Niehaus
816:Paul Ngobeni
781:Gupta family
775:Gavin Watson
672:
659:. Retrieved
655:
646:
634:. Retrieved
630:
621:
606:
591:
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547:
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517:
505:. Retrieved
500:
491:
476:
462:
447:
432:
426:. Netwerk24.
402:. Retrieved
400:. City Press
391:
376:
364:. Retrieved
353:
341:. Retrieved
331:
319:. Retrieved
309:
297:. Retrieved
293:
283:
271:. Retrieved
267:
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229:. Retrieved
216:
204:. Retrieved
194:
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153:
136:
133:
106:
85:Gupta family
78:
72:
57:
49:
44:
20:
18:
872:Shaik trial
796:John Hlophe
501:The Citizen
1031:Jacob Zuma
1000:Categories
867:Rape trial
811:Dudu Myeni
759:Associates
706:Jacob Zuma
656:news24.com
631:news24.com
404:29 January
366:28 January
343:28 January
321:28 January
299:15 January
268:news24.com
231:28 January
206:28 January
186:References
101:City Press
89:Jacob Zuma
37:Free State
946:The Spear
615:. News24.
600:. News24.
585:. News24.
541:. News24.
526:. News24.
485:. News24.
385:. News24.
661:21 April
636:21 April
507:23 April
273:20 April
97:Sun City
925:Khwezi
771:Bosasa
963:Other
225:(PDF)
121:Hawks
93:Dubai
53:India
29:Vrede
25:dairy
663:2020
638:2020
509:2020
406:2018
368:2018
345:2018
323:2018
301:2022
275:2020
233:2018
208:2018
19:The
35:),
1002::
654:.
629:.
499:.
414:^
292:.
266:.
241:^
131:.
55:.
777:)
773:(
698:e
691:t
684:v
665:.
640:.
511:.
456:.
408:.
370:.
347:.
325:.
303:.
277:.
235:.
210:.
31:(
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