Hempenrichement

[22 June 2000] - The Eastern Cape's minister of agriculture, Max Mamase, recently remarked that he expects farmers in the province to be granted a special license by year's end that would allow them to grow hemp commercially.

According to Mamase the national departments of agriculture, health and and environmental affairs are currently involved in the drafting of new legislation that would see the granting of permits to farmers to grow the much maligned plant as a commercial crop.

The Agricultural Research Council was, in the meanwhile, working on a hybrid that would be ideally suited to local growing conditions."Hemp farmers can easily earn R5000 ($722.5)," stated Mamase, adding that the crop is ideally suited to the Eastern-Cape region, given the region's high levels of poverty and it's reliance on subsistence farming... GISA

[16 Feb 2008] Mamase home auctioned but former MECs are out and about in their luxury car

THE luxury home of former Eastern Cape MECs Max Mamase and his wife Neo Moerane-Mamase was sold by public auction yesterday.

While auctioneers Rose-Innes and Scheepers would not disclose who the buyers of the Bonnie Doon property were, the Saturday Dispatch understands two people submitted offers to purchase.

Yesterday the auctioneers could only confirm there were 17 registered bidders at the auction, which took place at 10am yesterday morning.

The house made headlines three years ago when it was attached by the Asset Forfeiture Unit, which alleged it was bought with the proceeds of a crime.

The Mamases bought the house at 17 Lower Ridge Road in Bonnie Doon for R2,7 million. It has four bedrooms and boasts a view of the Nahoon River.

It has an open-plan kitchen with granite tops, lounge and dining room, bar, TV lounge, study and built-in braai.

The main bedroom has an en-suite bathroom with separate dressing room. The second and third bedrooms are also en-suite, while the fourth bedroom has an en-suite bathroom and a kitchenette.

There are two swimming pools, various outbuildings including servants’ quarters and a double garage with electronic doors.

The house is also fitted with an air conditioning system and an alarm.

Max Mamase, the former agriculture MEC and his wife Neo Moerane-Mamase, former Social Development MEC, are at the centre of a court case linked to Mamase’s executive instruction to purchase the Kangela Citrus Estate in Addo, purportedly for the empowerment of 40 farm workers, from then 89-year-old Cape Town businessman Norman Benjamin in 2005.

The two were arrested almost three years ago for allegedly receiving R360000 in kick-backs from Benjamin in the form of deposits on the bond of their R2,7m home in Bonnie Doon from the R15,6m BEE land deal.

The state claimed Mamase had entered into an agreement with two companies – Oude Westhof Township Development and Oranjezicht Citrus Estate – in purchasing the Kangela citrus farms at Addo.

The corruption charges relate to a complaint received by the Joint Anti-Corruption Task Team from the Eastern Cape Treasury about the deal.

While the Mamase house was being auctioned yesterday the couple attended Premier Nosimo Balindlela’s state of the province address at the Bhisho stadium.

They were seen driving away in a luxury silver Lexus – with a personalised number plate, “Mamase EC”. - Daily Dispatch