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Johannesburg - Investigations into the alleged theft of up to R100m from an AgriBEE fund won't be swept under the carpet, the Hawks said on Sunday.
The probe was continuing, spokesperson for the Directorate for
Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) Musa Zondi said.
"It is an important investigation and nothing will be swept
under the carpet."
He would not comment on a Sunday Times report that quoted him
saying they were currently taking statements from the Land Bank.
Zondi said part of the investigation was carried over from the
disbanded Scorpions and that most of the Scorpions investigators
were still working on the case.
"Generally we kept the same people in the same place, but there
were a lot of changes with some people coming over to the Hawks and others deciding not to."
The Sunday Times, referring to a forensic report by
PricewaterhouseCoopers and documents held by attorneys and
auditors, reported that R100m of an AgriBEE fund meant for
poor farmers had been used to bankroll the lavish lifestyles of
politically-connected individuals.
The fund was meant for agriculture projects, including a support group that planned to grow food for HIV/Aids sufferers and orphans.
According to the report the money was instead transferred from
the agriculture department to the Land Bank.
While the fund had a grant limit of R430 000 per person, former Gauteng housing MEC Dan Mofokeng allegedly bought a Mercedes Benz CLS55 AMG for cash and a R2m house with money from the fund.
In addition Mofokeng was the majority shareholder in a working
farm project in Limpopo that allegedly received R6.5m from
the fund.
Phil Mohlahlane, head of the Land Bank's agriculture department
section that approved AgriBEE funding and the bank's acting CEO
when the disbursements were made, allegedly used money to pay cash for a R2.7m house in Kyalami.
Another R6.4m from the fund was also allegedly used to
pay for a farm in Limpopo, which was transferred to Mohlahlane's
sister-in-law.
The Land Bank's chief financial officer, Xolile Ncame, was fired soon after he wrote a memo about the fund, in which he called it "a money-laundering scheme", in June last year.
- Sapa