Why was R29m removed from an Estina linked account? – Thabethe fails to explain
4 October 2019
Former Free State agriculture department head Peter Thabethe was unable to fully explain why he allowed R29m to be removed from an account in the Estina dairy farm project before a full feasibility study could be completed.
In the final session of the commission of inquiry into state capture on Friday, he was grilled by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and evidence leader advocate Leah Gcabashe SC for allowing R29m of R30m to be removed from an account.
Thabethe said the department was told the R29m was being reserved for equipment that was yet to be manufactured for the project.
But Justice Zondo questioned why the money was removed at all if a detailed feasibility study had not yet been completed at that stage in 2012.