Vrede Dairy accused have a case to answer for

21 August 2018

The DA welcomes Magistrate Collin Nekosi’s judgement delivered today in the Magistrates Court Bloemfontein, denying the defence’s application to have the case scrapped from the roll and granting the NPA the postponement in the prosecution of the nine accused in the Vrede Dairy Scandal.

While we would like to see a speedy trial in this matter in a bid to bring justice to the people of the Free State and the 80 Vrede Dairy Project beneficiaries, the postponement grants relief to the NPA to ensure that it brings a water-tight case before the High Court.

The DA is of the opinion that this postponement extends an opportunity to the NPA to ensure that this trial does not follow the same avenue as that of Free State MECs Mmathabo Leeto and Benny Malakoane whose cases of corruption, fraud and money laundering were dismissed by the courts due to shoddy work by the NPA.

The DA remains committed to ensuring that the political architects of the Vrede Dairy Scandal, most notably former Free State Premier, Ace Magashule and former MECs for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mosebenzi Zwane and Mamiki Qabathe are also investigated. It appears that politicians in the Free State are willing to throw senior officials under the bus to divert attention away from their own involvement in the scandal.

Issued by Roy Jankielsohn, Leader of the Official Opposition in the Free State Provincial Legislature, 21 August 2018