Mamase tricked me on farms – Stofile

By Sam Mkokeli Deputy Political Editor

THE Kangela kickback scandal has deepened, with former premier Makhenkesi Stofile accusing former agriculture MEC Max Mamase of tricking him into endorsing the deal.

In an interview with The Herald, Stofile said Mamase never told him that Bhisho would have to pay Cape Town property magnate Norman Benjamin R15,6-million for nine farms that form the core of the agricultural empowerment project.

Mamase resigned last week, citing personal reasons, amid an investigation into alleged kickbacks from the land deal. The Joint Anti-Corruption Task team, which combines the staff of the SA Police Service and the Scorpions, said last week the probe was at “an advanced stage”.

Stofile, along with his former finance MEC Enoch Godongwana, has released a statement on the matter to the Scorpions. Stofile said he endorsed the deal publicly in the Bhisho legislature early last year because Mamase led him to believe that the farms would be given to the workers by Benjamin for nothing – as part a social responsibility effort.

Stofile, now national sports minister, said he felt he was “set up” by Mamase, who appeared to have known all along that the State would have to fork out money for the farms.

Mamase had introduced Benjamin to Stofile, saying Benjamin and his family wanted to empower the farm workers. Benjamin, who is now 88 years old, told Stofile at the time he had no heir who wanted to farm the land.

Benjamin has two daughters, both of whom live overseas.

“He (Mamase) told me that Mr Benjamin and his wife wanted to give farms to their workers because their children were not interested,” Stofile said.

“All I knew was that the farms were not for sale. Benjamin was in my office with his wife to show me maps of these farms, saying he was not going to dump the project. He would still help the workers with training.

“Mamase had brought him (Benjamin) to me. We were going to the legislature the same afternoon and I invited Benjamin and his wife to sit in the gallery, before I endorsed the deal.” By the time Stofile met Benjamin, he was already excited about the initiative, especially because Mamase had told him that Benjamin was giving the farms for nothing.

In terms of the deal, farm workers in the Sundays River Valley would be given a stake in a massive citrus business.

The premier then went to the legislature, where he publicly endorsed the deal, with Benjamin watching from the public gallery.

“I endorsed it because I had never seen it before that a man would think of his employees who had worked for him and made him rich,” said Stofile.

“That the farms were on sale is a new dimension. I was of the view that Benjamin was a rich man with a good heart of giving back to the workers that made his wealth.”

Stofile said Mamase had the right to approve deals where land had to be bought, and only had to get the approval of the national land affairs department. However, he also had to brief the provincial cabinet, which he did.

Stofile said Mamase only told the cabinet that the farms were being “given to the people” and that there was no payment involved.

The deal was opposed by the provincial Treasury, but Mamase went ahead and funded it through parastatal bank Uvimba, which supports emerging farmers.

It is alleged Mamase received kickbacks in the form of two R15 000 bond payments towards his R2,7-million East London house, which was bought through his and wife Social Development MEC Neo Moerane-Mamase’s company.

Stofile said he had no knowledge of the alleged kickback, saying that would have been a “private transaction”.

Stofile said he was shocked when he first heard in June last year, two months after he had moved to Cape Town, that Bhisho had to pay for the farms.

The Herald was unable to contact Mamase. for comment.