- Concerned beneficiaries at the Zebediela Citrus Estate in Limpopo are up in arms over alleged financial malfeasance.
- The matter dates back to 2016 when the now suspended lawyer Tumi Mokwena took over the running of the estate.
- Provincial agriculture department says it "could not enter the space", but encouraged parties to resolve their issues.
The Zebediela Citrus Estate in Limpopo is again under the spotlight as concerned beneficiaries prepare for a watershed general meeting at the weekend over R48 million which was unaccounted for.
The issue received attention from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which indicated that the investigation had been completed and the matter was awaiting enrolment in court.
However, NPA Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, advocate Lethabo Mashiane, could not divulge details to the media.
Zebediela Citrus Estate, once the biggest producer of oranges in the Southern Hemisphere, was returned to the Bjatladi community under the land reform process in 2003.
It is now controlled by the Bjatladi Communal Property Association (CPA).
The concerned beneficiaries, under the auspices of the Save Zebediela Citrus Estate Committee, are now demanding that the CPA produce all the financial statements since lawyer Tumi Mokwena, who was suspended from practising as an attorney, took over the running of the estate in 2016.
They also demand that the provincial agriculture and land reform department institute a forensic audit.
In 2016, Mokwena took over the running of the estate, resulting in the strategic partner, John Charles Boyce, being kicked out of the estate.
In terms of the settlement agreement, Boyce paid R10 million into Mokwena's trust account, but that money has since not been accounted for.
A contract was then signed with Fruitco (Pty) Ltd for the sale of oranges. In addition, the company paid more than R28.3 million over a period into Mokwena's trust account. This amount was also not accounted for.
The issue formed part of a successful application by the Legal Practice Council for Mokwena to be suspended as a practising attorney.
The Save Zebediela Citrus Committee chairperson, Ike Kekana, said there have only been two annual general meetings from 2014 to 2019, called by the CPA, which failed to provide financial statements.
He said in March this year, the committee wrote a letter to Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha voicing their concerns.
The premier forwarded the letter to agriculture and land reform MEC Nandi Ndalane for her to address the concerns.
"The letter was then forwarded to the department's chief director, a Mr M Matlala. It was our expectation that the chief director will call our group and the leadership of Bjatladi CP together to try and address issues raised in our letter to the premier," Kekana said.
In the response letter to the committee - which News24 has seen - the department said it was satisfied that the communal property association was up to date with its submission of financial statements and other compliance requirements.
CPA deputy secretary, Walter Tlolane, said: "The response of the department suffices. We have nothing to do with the upcoming meeting. The department and the premier have answered them."
Provincial agriculture spokesperson, Joshua Kwapa, confirmed that the department has responded to the committee and that "we could not enter that space".
"We have requested the two parties to resolve their issues amicably with a view to resuscitating the [Zebediela Citrus] Estate," Kwapa said.