Free State department leased entire Vrede area to Estina, commission hears
The former municipal manager of the Phumelela Municipality, Moses Moremi, has detailed how the Free State Department of Agriculture entered into an agreement that not only leased a large portion of land, but the entire area of Vrede (including suburbs) to the Estina dairy project for a period of 99 years.
Moremi was testifying at the Zondo commission into state capture on Tuesday.
He gave a breakdown of an extremely rushed process to bring the municipality on board.
Beginning on June 12, 2012, Moremi said the department, led by head Peter Thabethe, paid an unannounced visit to the municipality during a pre-planned council meeting.
They were accompanied by business people and local farmers, he said, adding the group had asked the council if it could show it a presentation on the dairy project.