Court gives Mosebenzi Zwane bail of R10,000

Former mineral resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane has been granted R10,000 bail by the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court in a case related to the Vrede dairy farm scandal.

Zwane appeared with former Sahara Computers employee Ugeshni Govender and director of Gupta-owned company Islandsite Investments Ronica Ragavan.

The controversial Vrede dairy farm project in which public funds meant for black emerging farmers was allegedly looted was undertaken by the Free State department of agriculture about a decade ago.

Govender and Ragavan were charged with corruption and money laundering for allegedly contravening the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.

Zwane, who was the Free State agriculture MEC when the project was undertaken, was charged with corruption and fraud.

Magistrate Estelle de Lange granted Zwane and Govender bail and ordered them to be present when the matter returned to court on November 2.

Among other things, Zwane has to hand over his passport and cannot apply for a new one or travel documents without notifying the investigative officer.

Govender, who is unemployed, was represented by advocate Dawie Joubert. Her bail was also set at R10,000. Ragavan is out on warning.

In his bail statement, Zwane said through his legal representative, Lebohang Mokhele, that he intended pleading not guilty and had handed himself over to law enforcement agencies.

Mokhele said Zwane had no previous convictions or pending cases against him.

Prosecutor advocate Peter Serunye read into the record an affidavit by investigating officer Mandla Mtolo, in which he said the matter involved more than 10 accused and was a schedule 5 offence.

Bail was not opposed by the state, said Mtolo, as there was no evidence that showed the accused may flee or interfere with witnesses.

During a short adjournment, Zwane seemed relaxed and occasionally smiled while speaking to his lawyer as they waited for proceedings to resume.

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