Elzabe Rockman

Last updated

In October 2019, Rockman testified at The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, known as the Zondo Commission, about the provincial treasury's role in the corruption-tainted Vrede Dairy Project, a project meant to empower black farmers. The project was managed by the Gupta-owned Estina company, which led to more than R220 million in public funds, which were meant for the dairy, being siphoned towards the Gupta family and only 1% spent on actual farming, as reported by the City Press . [8]

Rockman said that she had visited the Gupta family on multiple occasions. She also said that she was aware of the first R30 million in public funds being transferred towards the project. [9] Newspaper reports later suggested that the R30 million was used to pay for the 2013 wedding of Vega Gupta at the Sun City resort in the North West Province. [10] In the end, from 2013 to 2016, the provincial government paid R334 million towards the Guptas with little being spent on farming. [11] [12]

Rockman mentioned in her testimony that she had met with Guptas in February 2014 about reports of cows dying. [13] [9] She also mentioned that her department was reportedly "stuck" with what the provincial Agriculture Department presented. [9] She, later on, in her testimony said that the project should have been put through a tender process and that she was concerned that there was "no public process". It was unknown to the provincial treasury department on why Estina had been chosen for the project and Rockman claimed that it would have been "unlikely" for Estina to get the tender if it had gone through a public process. [14]

Also in her testimony, Rockman mentioned that the provincial government had gone into an agreement with the now-defunct Gupta-owned The New Age to buy around 4,000 copies of the paper daily. [15] She said: "The subscription was to give support to The New Age as a new entrant to the market." [9]

Personal life

Rockman's daughter, Caitlyn, is a model. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ace Magashule</span> South African politician and activist

Elias Sekgobelo "Ace" Magashule is a South African politician and former anti-apartheid activist who served as the Secretary General of the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's governing party, between December 2017 and his suspension on 3 May 2021. He served as the Premier of the Free State, one of South Africa's nine provinces, from 2009 until 2018, and was known to be influential in the ANC of his home province.

Mosebenzi Joseph Zwane was the Minister of Mineral Resources of South Africa in the Second Cabinet of former President Jacob Zuma serving from 2015 until 2018. A controversial figure, Zwane resigned on 25 February 2018 following allegations of state capture and in particular his role in the Vrede Dairy Project, which helped bankroll the Gupta Family wedding.

The Vrede Dairy Project is a South African dairy project established in 2012 on Krynaauwslust Farm, near the town of Vrede, Free State Province. The dairy was established as a public-private partnership with Estina, a Black Economic Empowerment company, as part of the Free State provincial government's agricultural project, Mohoma-Mobung. Estina was given the land under a free 99 year lease.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sisi Ntombela</span> 6th Premier of the Free State

Sefora Hixsonia "Sisi" Ntombela is a South African politician who was the 6th Premier of the Free State and a Member of the Free State Provincial Legislature for the African National Congress. She previously served as the Free State MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements and as MEC for Social Development. Ntombela was also the Deputy President of the African National Congress Women's League and the treasurer of the Free State ANC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thembeni Nxangisa</span> South African politician

Skully Thembeni Nxangisa is a South African politician who served in the Free State Executive Council as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs from May 2019 until October 2021, when he became the MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development. He was removed from the executive council in March 2023

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tate Makgoe</span> South African politician (1963–2023)

Pule Herbert Isak Makgoe was a South African politician and anti-apartheid activist. A member of the African National Congress, he was elected to the Free State Provincial Legislature in 1994. After holding multiple positions in the Executive Council of the Free State, he was appointed Member of the Executive Council for Education in May 2009, a position he would hold until his death in March 2023.

Kwekwe William Bulwane is a South African politician who has been a member of the Free State Provincial Legislature since May 2019. He had previously served as an MPL in April 2018. Bulwane had previously served in the Free State Executive Council as the Member of the Executive Council for Agriculture and Rural Development from May 2019 to October 2021 and as the MEC for Police, Roads and Transport from October 2021 until his demotion from the Executive Council in March 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gadija Brown</span> South African politician

Gadija Brown is a South African politician and banker who was a member of the Free State Provincial Legislature for the African National Congress (ANC) and the provincial Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Finance.

Limakatso Patricia Mahasa is a South African politician who served as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation in the Free State from 2019 until 2024. A member of the African National Congress, she previously served as the MEC for Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism & Environmental Affairs from 2018 until 2019 and before that, as the MEC for Social Development from 2016 to 2018.

Malambule Samuel Mashinini is a South African politician and trade union leader who has been a member of the Free State Provincial Legislature since 2014. A member of the African National Congress, he was elected to the Free State Provincial Legislature in May 2014. He was then appointed as Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. A year later, he became the MEC for Economic and Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs. Mashinini was appointed MEC for Police, Roads & Transport in October 2016. He was dismissed in October 2021.

The Executive Council of the Free State is the cabinet of the executive branch of the provincial government in the South African province of the Free State. The Members of the Executive Council (MECs) are appointed from among the members of the Free State Provincial Legislature by the Premier of the Free State, an office held since May 2024 by Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae of the African National Congress (ANC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montseng Tsiu</span> South African politician, trade unionist and nurse

Montseng Margaret Tsiu is a South African politician, trade unionist and nurse who served as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Health in the Free State provincial government from May 2018 until March 2023. She was sworn in as a Member of the Free State Provincial Legislature for the African National Congress in April 2018. Tsiu is the former provincial chairperson of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union and the former director of nursing in the Free State government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mxolisi Dukwana</span> South African politician

Mxolisi Abraham Dukwana is a South African politician who has served as the speaker of the Free State Provincial Legislature since June 2024. He was elected Provincial Chairperson of the Free State branch of his political party, the African National Congress (ANC), in January 2023. He was the seventh Premier of the Free State from February 2023 until June 2024. Prior to his election as Premier, he served in the Free State Executive Council as Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs since October 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motshidisi Koloi</span> South African politician and educator

Motshidisi Agnes Koloi, also spelled Motshidise, is a South African politician and educator who served as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Social Development in the Free State provincial government between March and October 2023. Before that, she was MEC for Public Works and Human Settlements from May 2019 until March 2023. She served in the Free State Provincial Legislature as an ANC representative from May 2019 until October 2023. Prior to her election to the Provincial Legislature, Koloi had served as the executive mayor of the Moqhaka Local Municipality.

Motlagomang Grazy Qabathe, commonly known as Mamiki Qabathe, is a South African politician who served in the Executive Council of the Free State as Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Social Development from May 2019 until October 2023. Before that, she was Speaker of the Free State Provincial Legislature from 2015 to 2019. She is a member of the African National Congress (ANC).

Moses Ketso “Toto” Makume is a South African politician who has been a Member of the Free State Executive Council for Finance, Tourism and Economic Development since 2024 and a Member of the Free State Provincial Legislature since March 2023. He was previously the Free State MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements from 2023 until 2024. Makume was elected as the Deputy Provincial Chairperson of the African National Congress in January 2023.

Nokwanje Selina "Mathabo" Leeto is a South African politician who was elected to the Free State Provincial Legislature in the 2014 general election. She was appointed as the Member of the Executive Council for Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation. Leeto left the provincial legislature at the 2019 general election. She was elected provincial treasurer of the African National Congress in January 2023 and returned to the Provincial Legislature in March 2023. She was then appointed as the MEC for Health. Following the 2024 general election, Leeto took over as the MEC for Social Development.

Benjamin "Benny" Malakoane is a South African politician and medical doctor who served in the Free State Executive Council from 2004 to 2005 and from 2013 to 2019. A member of the African National Congress (ANC), he dropped out of the Executive Council after failing to gain re-election to the Free State Provincial Legislature in the 2019 general election.

Butana Moses Komphela was a South African politician who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly and Free State Provincial Legislature until 2019. He served as the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture and after that he held several positions in the Free State Executive Council from 2011 to 2019. He died of COVID-19-related illness in 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa.

Dora Kotzee, sometimes misspelled Dorah Coetzee, is a South African politician who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the Free State Provincial Legislature from 2014 to 2019. During that time, she served as the Free State's Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Public Works and Infrastructure from 2015 to 2018, and from 2018 to 2019 she occupied an expanded portfolio as MEC for Public Works, Infrastructure and Human Settlements.

References

  1. ↑ Elzabe Rockman
  2. ↑ "Magashule sacks Free State finance MEC". City Press - News24. 12 March 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  3. ↑ "New faces in FState executive". The Citizen. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  4. ↑ Khalane, Selloane (29 March 2017). "Rockman empowered to root". Express. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  5. ↑ Makhafola, Gertrude (9 May 2018). "Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela reshuffles Cabinet". IOL News. Johannesburg. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  6. ↑ Nkuyane, Lucky (28 May 2019). "ANC youth leader in FS appointed as MEC; tasked with unemployment". OFM. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  7. ↑ OFM. "Women dominate Free State Premier's executive council". OFM. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  8. ↑ Mashego, Abram (21 January 2018). "Inside the Gupta heist". City Press. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Chabalala, Jeanette (22 April 2020). "Free State govt supported The New Age as a new player in the market - former finance MEC". News24. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  10. ↑ "#GuptaLeaks: How millions milked from FS govt paid for Sun City wedding". EWN. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2020. KPMG were the auditors of the Guptas' Linkway Trading (Pty) Ltd. This company, we shall see, played a crucial role in allowing the diversion of cash earmarked for the Free State's Vrede dairy project to reimburse most of the wedding expenses – R30-million to be exact.
  11. ↑ Smith, Charles (13 February 2019). "Holy cow! Bank statements reveal how Free State government paid Guptas over R330m for Estina dairy farm". News24. Retrieved 22 April 2020. Bank statements show that the Free State government paid R334 202 652 over less than two years, from July 2014 to April 2016, to Indian company Estina.
  12. ↑ "Magashule must account for Estina farm saga: Vavi". SABC News Online. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  13. ↑ Zulu, Sfiso (16 October 2019). "Concerns over cattle dying at Estina farm were raised with Guptas, inquiry told". EWN. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  14. ↑ "Ex-finance MEC says Vrede dairy farm project should have been put to tender". The Citizen. 17 October 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  15. ↑ Umraw, Amil (16 October 2019). "Free State bought 4,000 copies a day of Gupta newspaper, Zondo probe told". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  16. ↑ "Caitlyn to Rock the United States". Bloemfontein Courant. 29 June 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Elzabe Rockman
MPL
Elzabe Rockman.png
Rockman in 2019
Free State MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development and Environmental Affairs
Assumed office
23 June 2024
Preceded by Free State MEC for Finance
2013–2019		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.