A WITNESS in the corruption case of former State Security minister Bongani Bongo and 17 others has told the court that he sold the Pietspruit farm in Ermelo for R10,5 million.
But the state bought it with R26 million as part of the Department of Human Settlements integrated programme.
Frederick Kardish (85) was testifying in the Nelspruit Commercial Crimes Court on Monday, 26 June.
He told the court that in 2011, they were approached by Willem Vusi Magagula, who is one of the accused in the R74 million dodgy land deals.
Kardish said he further met Magagula, Lawrence Mdaka and Bongani Bongo to seal the deal.
He said he doesn't know of any other amounts paid out except for the R10,5 million he sold his farm for.
This is after the state presented evidence of R4,5 million that was paid out as a commission fee.
Kardish said: "In the process of selling the farm, I did not appoint any agents. The farm was advertised by word of mouth at that time. In the first meeting, we told Willem how much would be required for the sale of the property.
"He said he would try to facilitate the sale and would meet with us to discuss it. We then received a call from Willem, who said they were interested in the sale of the property. Lawrence came to the farm before the purchase. The meetings happened in less than a month."
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Bongo, Robert Burwise, Patrick Chirwa, Harrington Dhlamini, Blessing Singwane, David Dube, Willem Vusi Magagula, Bongani Sibiya, Elmon Mdaka, Sibongile Mdaka and Sandile Nkosi and five companies are facing 85 charges ranging from fraud, theft, corruption, contravention of Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
All the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The allegations are in connection with the R74 million sale and purchase of farms between 2010 and 2011 by the Department of Human Settlements.
Some of the accused, acting in consent with the common purpose, exploited the normal phenomenon of the purchase of land by the government by misrepresenting facts to the state regarding the ownership and true sale price of the farm.
The trial will continue on Wednesday, 28 June, for further hearing.
