By Masilo Malakwane
HARRISMITH – In the fourth part of the State Capture report released on April 29, Judge Raymond Zondo mentioned Leona Kleynhans as one of the prominent figures who played a pivotal role in ensuring that they root out acts of corruption within the province.
Klehnhans is a DA member of the Free State Legislature who hails from Maluti-A-Phofung local municipality and has served as a DA Councillor before she was elected to the Free State Provincial Legislature.
A few days after the release of the fourth part of Zondo’s report into State Capture, the Democratic Alliance in the Free State has welcomed the report, saying it vindicates their contention about the ill-fated and controversial asbestos roofing project. The party has been at the forefront of exposing the rampant corruption relating to the asbestos project and the Estina Dairy farm project.
Kleynhans told The Guard that they were right to lay charges against former Premier, Ace Magashule about what they describe as ‘asbestos scam’.
“It is indeed a vindication that the Zondo commission has agreed with our contention. And our greatest satisfaction with the report is that the political masterminds of this subterfuge and fraud have not been spared. They must ultimately be held accountable,” Kleynhans said.
she added that they are particularly pleased with the findings against senior politicians, including former MEC Mosebenzi Zwane.
“The department of human settlements was used as a laundromat to siphon funds meant for the poorest people in the province into the pockets of ANC politicians and their cronies.”
In the State Capture findings, Judge Raymond Zondo recommends that former MEC Mosebenzi Zwane be investigated for fraud related to the disastrous R1-billion ‘debacle’ in which funds were dished out to various crony contractors and allegedly, some politicians.
In addition, the report states former Premier Ace Magashule failed to ‘provide leadership’, or ‘intervene effectively’ in the catastrophe.
In the asbestos matter which Zondo calls a ‘considerable scam from its inception’, findings are made against the director general of the department of human settlements and the Free State head of department Nthemotsi Mokhesi.
When the DA first had sight of the asbestos contract and payments in 2015, they went to the Bloemfontein High Court on an urgent basis to get the payments stopped, and the contract reviewed, because they described it as an ‘obvious scam’. But their application was denied on urgency. Thereafter the party then took the matter to the Public Protector, who after five years issued a report stating that this had been an unsolicited bid, that no value for money had been received, and recommended a criminal investigation into the department of HOD and other officials.
Nthemotsi Mokhesi was subsequently suspended.
In his report, Zondo recommends that the R250-million be recovered from Edwin Sodi’s Blackhead Consulting, and partner Diamond Hill Trading, whose director, Igo Mpambani was assassinated in Johannesburg.
