Jankielsohn explains the concept of "Mohuma Mobung", which was an agriculture strategy by the Free State government, a strategy which was meant to be used in the dairy farm project. Jankielsohn says the "Mohuma Mobung" concept was introduced to him by Mosebenzi Zwane. 

Jankielsohn now references an M&G article about the Vrede dairy farm project, published in 2013, headlined "The Guptas' land of milk and money", where a number of concerns about irregularities in the project were outlined.

Gcabashe guides Jankielsohn through the visuals of the farm. Zondo pauses Jankielsohn's testimony to ask for much more clarity on what exactly is being pointed out by the arrows in the visuals.

Arrow 1 points to the (R2.6m) gate, Arrow 2 points to the structure labelled as the (R30m) "Milk Processing Plant", and Arrow 3 points to a structure meant to be used as a "Workshop & storage shed for equipment", where no monetary value has been specified.

Jankielsohn tells Gcabashe that as a member of the Free State legislature, he was involved in "trying to get to the bottom" of what happened with the Estina dairy farm project. 

Jankielsohn says his interest in the project was triggered mostly by articles in the media, as well as a SOPA address where former Free State premier Ace Magashule mentioned the project. Jankielsohn says he has visited the farm on a number of occasions, as part of his oversight duties. 

Advocate Gcabashe takes Jankielsohn through his affidavit, and confirms that the affidavit before him, as well as the supplementary affidavit, are indeed his and that his signature appears on both. These will be the basis of Jankielsohn's testimony today.

The first witness, Roy Jankielsohn, is now sworn in. Jankielsohn is a member of the Free State Legislature, and also DA caucus leader. 

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo gets proceedings under way. First up, legal counsel for implicated parties, including Mosebenzi Zwane, have stood up and introduced themselves ahead of witness testimony.

Today's evidence leader, Advocate Leah Gcabashe, now addresses Zondo on some procedural matters.

Zondo commission shifts to Gupta-linked Estina dairy farm project

The judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture will resume its work on Monday and will hear testimony related to the collapsed Gupta-linked Estina dairy farm project in Vrede.

The commission, chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, will hear testimony from a member of the Free State legislature, Roy Jankielsohn. 

The deputy director of corporate administration and co-ordination in the Free State premier's office, Albertus Venter, will also be giving testimony. 

ICYMI - OPINION: 

Want to understand Ace, Mr President? Read the Vrede dairy judgment 

By Roy Jankielsohn (one of today's witnesses at the state capture inquiry) 

The truth regarding the Vrede dairy project cannot ignore the role of senior politicians in the Free State who were, for selfish and corrupt reasons, willing to sacrifice the aspirations of 80 impoverished beneficiaries, writes Roy Jankielsohn.

If President Cyril Ramaphosa required any reason to mistrust his own party's secretary-general, Ace Magashule, and the Zuma-era appointed Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, he needs go no further than read Judge Ronel Tolmay's judgment of the Public Protector's Vrede dairy report. The judgment clearly exposes the lengths to which Zuma acolytes will go to prevent the truth regarding the extent of state capture from being revealed.

The dairy farm project involving Gupta-linked company Estina was meant to provide economic opportunities for local emerging farmers. An agreement between the provincial government and Estina indicated that the R570m-project would be funded by the provincial government to the tune of R342m, while Estina would contribute R228m. However, Estina was allowed to abscond from the project without contributing any of its own funding without penalties. To date the provincial government has spent more than R346m on the project with no beneficiaries. Without beneficiaries such a project has no reason to exist, except if it is for the laundering of state funds.

ICYMI: 

I did not give anyone instructions to allow Gupta wedding landing - former transport minister 

The former transport minister, Ben Martins, has told the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture that at, at no stage, did he give anyone instructions to allow the Guptas' aircraft to land at Waterkloof Air Force Base in 2013.

"The Ministry of Transport ... does not have authority over Waterkloof air base. It falls under the Department of Defence and Military Veterans," he told inquiry chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, during his testimony on Tuesday.

In 2013, a private plane carrying about 200 guests to the wedding of Vega Gupta and Aakash Jahajgarhia was allowed to land at Waterkloof Air Force Base, and blue light brigades whisked the guests off to Sun City.

Several ministers and political figures attended the wedding. 

ICYMI: 

Vrede dairy farm project: Gauteng High Court rules Public Protector's report is unconstitutional 

The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has ruled that Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane failed in her duties to investigate and report on the Vrede dairy project in the Free State. 

Judge Ronel Tolmay on Monday ruled that Mkhwebane's report was unconstitutional and invalid and set it aside. 

She reserved judgment on costs. 

The Democratic Alliance and Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac) applied last year to have Mkhwebane's report on the project declared unconstitutional, and to have it reviewed and set aside. 

ICYMI: 

Many Estina dairy farm beneficiaries want the project to continue, Public Protector hears 

Many beneficiaries of the collapsed Gupta-linked Estina dairy farm project in Vrede are still expecting some compensation from government, Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane heard on Thursday.

Mkhwebane heard testimony from some of the 80 farmers who stood to benefit from the project, which resulted in alleged theft of close to R240m.

The Public Protector is investigating political collusion in the collapse of the project. This, she said, was at the behest of the parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice.

Those who testified told Mkhwebane of how they had been promised trips to India for dairy farm business training and cattle to start up the project. 

ICYMI: 

IN DEPTH: #GuptaLeaks - The investigation into Ace Magashule, the MEC and the R2m Gupta bribe

In an attempt to muscle in on a R140m consultancy deal in 2011, one Gupta brother allegedly offered former Free State MEC for economic development Mxolisi Dukwana a R2m bribe to approve the awarding of a contract to Gupta-linked businessmen.

Before the now infamous Estina dairy farm project got off the ground, the Gupta family and their associates had first set their hopes on a potential R20bn 'City for Tomorrow' (CFT) project in the province, a News24 investigation has found.

News24 also found that Rajesh 'Tony' Gupta was eyeing a roughly R80m cut of the initial R140m phase of the project for little or no work in what has emerged as a remarkably similar scheme to Estina. 

This steep price for opening political doors and a firm stance against the project by then Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan was eventually the reasons believed to be behind the entire project collapsing, insiders revealed.

ICYMI: 

DA calls on Batohi to reinstate Estina dairy farm charges

The DA in the Free State has called on NPA head Shamila Batohi to reinstate corruption charges relating to the Estina dairy farm project.

The call comes hot on the heels of revelations by Netwerk24 that the Free State government paid more than R330m to Indian company Estina between July 2014 and April 2016.

The company was meant to plough the same amount of money back into the scheme, which was situated in the agricultural town of Vrede. 

But bank statements revealed that that never happened. Instead, the money was paid into the company's Bank of Baroda account in India.

ICYMI: 

Holy cow! Bank statements reveal how Free State government paid Guptas over R330m for Estina dairy farm 

Bank statements show that the Free State government paid R334 202 652 over less than two years, from July 2014 to April 2016, to Indian company Estina.

Netwerk24 reported on Tuesday that the statements show the Guptas' involvement in the Vrede dairy scheme was far greater than previously suspected.

The bank statements show that the Free State Department of Agriculture paid the money over to Estina in amounts of up to R50m at a time.