Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha has instructed the provincial agriculture and land reform department to urgently resolve tension brewing over the unaccounted R48 million at Zebediela Citrus Estate.
Once the largest producer of oranges in the Southern Hemisphere, the estate was returned to the Bjatladi community under the land reform process in 2003.
Concerned beneficiaries, under the Save Zebediela Citrus Estate Committee, are currently at loggerheads with the Bjatladi Communal Property Association (CPA) over its alleged failure to produce financial statements since it partnered with now suspended lawyer Tumi Mokwena in 2016.
Mathabatha’s instructions for a resolution came after the department initially indicated that it “could not enter the space”, and was satisfied with the affairs of the CPA.
The committee had earlier written to Mathabatha voicing concerns about the CPA’s affairs, including that it had violated the law governing communal property associations, among others by failing to provide financial statements over the years.
After Mathabatha’s instructions, the department on Friday sent the community a letter asking for a meeting to be held on 15 September in Polokwane. While News24 has seen the letter from the department asking for a meeting, spokesperson Joshua Kwapa claims he is unaware of it.
“I cannot confirm nor deny the planned meeting. I don’t have details presently,” Kwapa said.
Mathabatha’s spokesperson Willy Mosoma could not be reached for comment.
On Saturday, concerned beneficiaries held a meeting in Hlakano Village. After the meeting, committee chairperson Ike Kekana said:
The Zebediela matter, which was also investigated by the Hawks and is now ready to be enrolled in court by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), started when the CPA kicked out strategic partner, John Charles Boyce, and replaced him with Mokwena in 2016.
Boyce had charges laid against him and was subsequently arrested for allegedly selling oranges with black spots. However, an agreement was reached in which Boyce paid R10 million into Mokwena’s trust account, but the money has since not been accounted for.
A contract was then entered into with Fruitco for the sale of oranges. The company paid almost R28,3 million into Mokwena’s trust account. The money also was not accounted for.
The issue formed part of the successful application by the Legal Practice Council (LPC) for Mokwena to be suspended as a practising attorney. Coupled with other allegations, the LPC has also applied for Mokwena to be struck off the attorneys’ roll.
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