A farmer in the Bongani Bongo corruption trial told the court how shocked he was to learn that the state bought his farm for R22,5m more than the price he had asked for.
Petrus van Tonder told the Nelspruit Commercial Crimes court in Mpumalanga that he had sold his Naarwport Farm for R15m to Robert Burwise in 2010. Burwise, one of the accused in the case, represented a company called The Little River Trading when it bought the farm for R37.5m paid for by the provincial department of human settlements on behalf of Emalahleni municipality.
Former state security minister Bongani Bongo, his ex-wife Sandile Nkosi, Burwise, Patrick Donald Chirwa, Herrington Dlamini, Blessing Mduduzi Singwane, David Boy Dube (department's former HOD), Vusi Willem Magagula, Bongani Louis Henry Sibiya, Elmon Lawrence Mdaka and Sibongile Mercy Mdaka are accused of fraud, theft and money laundering pertaining to the inflating of prices during the sale of two farms to the state. They are charged alongside four companies: The Little River Trading 156, Broad Market Trading 204, Bongiveli and Pfuka Afrika.
The charges emanate from alleged illegal land deals amounting to R74m, including the purchasing of the farm Naauwpoort and another farm at Msukaligwa local municipality in Ermelo where the state paid R36m instead of R10.5m.
It is alleged that some of the accused exploited the purchase and misrepresented facts to the department regarding ownership and the true sale price of the farms.
Van Tonder, a state witness, told the court that he placed his farm on sale in 2008 before Burwise called him and showed interest. They eventually made the final transaction in November 2010.
“Burwise came through after I was called by Palm Golding agents who introduced me to Burwise as a buyer or developer. Yes I can see Burwise he’s on the dock. We had agreement that R1.5 million was to be paid as agents' fee to Palm Golding. After we signed a purchase agreement and sale on September 11 2009, later in 2010 Burwise called me to meet at the Emalahleni municipal offices where he handed me a document bearing R37.5m to sign.
“I was shocked and called I him ‘bloody skelm’. I walked with him to a certain office of lawyers where he asked a certain lady to sign the papers but the lady refused. Burwise called a certain person on his phone and handed it over the lady. After the call she signed the documents,” Van Tonder told the court.
When asked by state prosecutor advocate Henry Nxumalo how he would have reacted if he knew how much the government was paying for the farm.
“I would have charged higher. I would have wanted more money,” he responded.
Cross examination continues to Van Tonder by the defense.
Farmer in Bongo trial says he would have charged higher
Van Tonder called buyer skelm after seeing R37m on sale papers
A farmer in the Bongani Bongo corruption trial told the court how shocked he was to learn that the state bought his farm for R22,5m more than the price he had asked for.
Petrus van Tonder told the Nelspruit Commercial Crimes court in Mpumalanga that he had sold his Naarwport Farm for R15m to Robert Burwise in 2010. Burwise, one of the accused in the case, represented a company called The Little River Trading when it bought the farm for R37.5m paid for by the provincial department of human settlements on behalf of Emalahleni municipality.
Former state security minister Bongani Bongo, his ex-wife Sandile Nkosi, Burwise, Patrick Donald Chirwa, Herrington Dlamini, Blessing Mduduzi Singwane, David Boy Dube (department's former HOD), Vusi Willem Magagula, Bongani Louis Henry Sibiya, Elmon Lawrence Mdaka and Sibongile Mercy Mdaka are accused of fraud, theft and money laundering pertaining to the inflating of prices during the sale of two farms to the state. They are charged alongside four companies: The Little River Trading 156, Broad Market Trading 204, Bongiveli and Pfuka Afrika.
The charges emanate from alleged illegal land deals amounting to R74m, including the purchasing of the farm Naauwpoort and another farm at Msukaligwa local municipality in Ermelo where the state paid R36m instead of R10.5m.
It is alleged that some of the accused exploited the purchase and misrepresented facts to the department regarding ownership and the true sale price of the farms.
Van Tonder, a state witness, told the court that he placed his farm on sale in 2008 before Burwise called him and showed interest. They eventually made the final transaction in November 2010.
“Burwise came through after I was called by Palm Golding agents who introduced me to Burwise as a buyer or developer. Yes I can see Burwise he’s on the dock. We had agreement that R1.5 million was to be paid as agents' fee to Palm Golding. After we signed a purchase agreement and sale on September 11 2009, later in 2010 Burwise called me to meet at the Emalahleni municipal offices where he handed me a document bearing R37.5m to sign.
“I was shocked and called I him ‘bloody skelm’. I walked with him to a certain office of lawyers where he asked a certain lady to sign the papers but the lady refused. Burwise called a certain person on his phone and handed it over the lady. After the call she signed the documents,” Van Tonder told the court.
When asked by state prosecutor advocate Henry Nxumalo how he would have reacted if he knew how much the government was paying for the farm.
“I would have charged higher. I would have wanted more money,” he responded.
Cross examination continues to Van Tonder by the defense.
'I charged R10m for farm sold for R26m' - farmer testifies in Bongo fraud case
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