The deputy director general of the North West department of agriculture, Paul Mogotlhe, has an extraordinarily close relationship with the recipient of a R1,1-million provincial government grant his department approved. It is none other than himself.
The Mail & Guardian has a copy of the memorandum of agreement, signed in May this year by Mogotlhe both as the government official who authorised the grant and the owner of Thathana Farms, near Zeerust -- the beneficiary.
Last year the national Department of Land Affairs gave him R354 927 for a land-reform project at the same farm. Thathana, a livestock farm, made it to question time in the National Assembly, where it was upheld as one of North West province's land-reform projects.
Thathana was registered in May 2006 with Mogotlhe and five other family members as owners. He had started his job at the agriculture department two months earlier. According to his financial disclosure statement form, he holds 65% of the shares in the family business. Land Bank funds were also allegedly allocated to him to acquire the farm.
In July this year Mogotlhe allegedly submitted his application for a R1,1-million provincial grant to the Ngakaa Modiri Molema offices of his department.
full story from M&G here
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