The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries welcomes the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) announcement of its investigation into the Estina Dairy Farm project at Vrede, Free State Province. 

The Committee has been following developments at the farm closely and noted the responses from the province to allegations of mismanagement of the farm animals, rotting carcasses and alleged corruption. The NPA seized the farm recently and according to its Asset Forfeiture Unit, this was a scheme designed to defraud and steal monies from the Free State Department of Agriculture. This has been widely reported in the media.

The Committee hopes that the National Prosecuting Authority undertakes its investigation unhindered and will await the report on conclusion. The Chairperson said the law must be allowed to take its course without any interference and the truth shall emerge finally.