The State Capture report is of the view that the department failed to do due diligence when choosing Estina as the entity responsible for the project. 

The report, compiled by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, states that the then head of the department, Peter Thabethe, is seen as one of the central figures who failed to ensure that proper due diligence was undertaken with respect to which entity the department partners with.

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The report further reads that another central figure to be blamed from the same department is the then MEC of Agriculture, Mosebenzi Zwane, as he also failed to perform proper oversight over the head of the department, Thabethe. 

Zwane has in the past been found to have been a Gupta associate which was dealt with in Part 4 of the Zondo Commission’s report relating to the R1 billion housing project debacle. 

“It can be safely taken that he knew that this was a project of the Guptas and he was advancing the business interests of the Guptas,” continues the report. By the time the project was cancelled, a total of R280 million of taxpayers’ money was nowhere to be found.

According to the report, the first date of registration of Estina (Pty) Ltd as a company was on 24 June 2008 and at the time the main business of the company was recorded as “Commercial Industrial Services and Support”. It was on 18 November 2010 when Kamal Vasram was appointed the director of Estina. The registration of Estina was amended on 19 October 2012 and now it was seen as a company in agriculture.

On 11 April 2012, Estina and an Indian company called Paras signed a Memorandum of Understanding effective for one year. Paras wanted Estina to provide assistance for identifying suitable avenues for participating in dairy projects in South Africa. 

On 5 May 2012, Thabethe met with Tony Gupta. After that the money paid into Estina was accessible to Paras.

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