Former mineral resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane has told ANC officials that police tried to coerce him to implicate ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule in the looting frenzy that was the Vrede dairy project.
Sunday World can reveal that last week Friday, Zwane wrote to the ANC top brass, including President Cyril Ramaphosa and his deputy David Mabuza, decrying how he was treated by cops claiming to be from the Hawks.
Sunday World is in possession of an e-mail in which Zwane – who is also chairperson of the portfolio committee on transport – says three white men claiming to be from the Hawks came to his home on August 11 in connection with the investigation into the Vrede Dairy Project.
“They indicated that they are from the Hawks and they are here to take my statement on the R30m paid to Estina,” Zwane wrote. “They said they know that I was instructed by my former boss, the former premier of the Free State comrade Ace and if I’m not prepared to give them the statement we will both go to jail.
“The reason I am raising this matter is that I want to bring to my organisation the fact that I am always ready to co-operate with authorities … that I am being harassed by people masquerading as law enforcement and threatening my life, forcing me to implicate comrade Ace,” he said.
Zwane confirmed writing to the ANC but declined to comment further. Last November, the National Prosecuting Authority said it had obtained all bank statements — including those from Dubai — related to the involvement of the Guptas in the Estina dairy farm project.
This was after the case was withdrawn in 2018, when the NPA could not secure legal assistance from the United Arab Emirates and India. The state alleged in an indictment that the Guptas and their associates looted close to R150-million from the project that was meant to uplift black farmers in Vrede.
Magashule and Zwane were at the time Free State premier and MEC for agriculture, respectively. They have not been charged by the NPA. Sunday World has seen the acknowledgement letter from the party’s secretariat, in which Zwane is encouraged to approach relevant institutions to report the incident.
ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe confirmed Zwane’s e-mail. “We can confirm that a letter has been received from comrade Zwane. However, the officials are dealing with the matter and once processed, we will be able to convey full details,” he said.
Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi said they were not aware of the incident at Zwane’s home. “In relation to any investigation in the DPCI, we are not at liberty to discuss them in the public space,” he said. Magashule could not be reached for comment but recently warned against the use of state resources to fight ANC factional battles.
