Moorosi said this in her affidavit which was read out loud during her bail application before the Bloemfontein Magistrate, Estelle de Lange, on Thursday 3 June. 

Moorosi and two other government officials - Peter Thabethe and Sylvia Dlamini - are accused by the state of signing off on a 2011 feasibility study worth over R 24 million, given to Gupta-linked Nulane Investments without following due processes at the Free State Agriculture Department, where they previously occupied senior positions. 

Nulane, in which accused number 4 Iqbal Sharma is a director, was meant to ascertain the feasibility of the Vrede Dairy Project under the "Mohoma Mobung" initiative. 

Moorosi has further cited family obligations - such as caring for her paraplegic husband and six children - as further reasons why she needs to be released out on bail. Her legal counsel stressed that his client had not been convicted of any crime. 

Prosecutor, Peter Serunye, says in reaction that if Bloem Water cannot run without Moorosi, then its affairs need to be “looked at”.

Despite stressing that she is not facing any criminal charges, Moorosi was, in fact, previously an accused in a Matjhabeng tender fraud case involving photocopy machines, that goes back to 2009 involving former MECs Mathabo Leeto and Benny Malakoane. The crime occurred while Leeto was Mayor of Matjhabeng. She at the time allegedly awarded a multi-million rand tender for the procurement and installation of telephone systems, CCTV cameras, and photocopy machines without following correct tender procedures. It is further alleged that Leeto, Moorosi - who was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) - and Malakoane, who was the Municipal Manager at Matjhabeng at the time, received kickbacks from the company which was awarded the tender. The case was eventually withdrawn by the NPA due to low prospects of success.

Dlamini, who is the current Deputy Director-General at the Free State's Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), says there is no evidence that she will violate bail conditions as she has another pending case that she is attending diligently.

The former head of the Free State Agriculture Department, Peter Thabethe, and Gupta lieutenant, Iqbal Sharma, will remain in custody at the Bainsvlei Police Station till Monday, 7 June. It is only then that the two will formally apply for bail at the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court.

OFM News