Earlier this month, the commission, in a statement, announced that it was in the process of finalising part IV of its report, which would be delivered to President Cyril Ramaphosa once it was completed. Suspects - including former Free State Premier Ace Magashule, former MEC and mayor Olly Mlamleli, and Head of Human Settlements (HOD) Nthimotse Mokhesi, amongst others - are already standing trial and facing charges, including implicated fraud, theft, attempted theft, corruption, and money laundering.

The report comes months after whistleblowers, like former Magashule-ally and now MEC for Cooperative Governance (Cogta), Mxolisi Dukwana, told Zondo about what he thought were the issues in the project.

Also read: Dukwana testifies on multimillion rand fs asbestos deal

During court proceedings in the asbestos matter in February 2022, Advocate (Adv.) Nazeer Cassim (SC), representing the State, argued that there was a flagrant breach of Treasury regulations when awarding the controversial multimillion project, which was said to eradicate the asbestos roofs of 30 000 households across the province in 2014.

Also read - #AsbestosGate: There was a flagrant breach of Treasury regulations - state

It's alleged Limpopo businessman, Edwin Sodi, was irregularly awarded the housing audit tender via his joint venture with Diamond Hill Trading - owned by murdered Welkom businessman, Igo Mpambani, by the Free State Human Settlements Department in 2014. Not only was the tender irregular but it is reported that kickbacks were given to some of the accused.

Delivering his departmental budget speech for 2022/23 in the Provincial Legislature, MEC Dukwana assured, what he termed as the victims of asbestos that eradication will be done in due course. Dukwana announced that the service delivery programme in the province was hamstrung by acts of malfeasance and corruption. Dukwana said this was demonstrated at the State Capture Commission (SCC).

Also read: Dukwana vows to eradicate controversial asbestos roofing

The accused in the R255 million asbestos case includes Sodi; Mlamleli; Mokhesi; the Director for Supply Chain Management at Human Settlements, Mahlomola John Matlakala; a businessman residing in Johannesburg, Sello Joseph Radebe; a Pretoria businessman, Abel Kgotso Manyeki; the former Director-General for the National Department of Human Settlements, Thabane Wiseman Zulu; and Albertus Venter, who occupied a role in the Free State Premier’s Office.

The Presidency's spokesperson, Tyrone Seale, said they will announce the presentation of the report once the work has been done.

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