Premier of the Free State (2009 to 2018), ANC Secretary-General (2017 to 2022)

Ace Magashule: what the State Capture Commission found, and what happened next

Named in the Commission's report: Part IV Vol 2 (Free State); Part VI Vol 1 (Estina).

What the Commission found

• The Commission found that the Vrede dairy scheme happened in part because the premier would have been pursuing the agenda of the Guptas, and that he failed to oversee the responsible MECs and departments.³Report reference: Part VI Vol 1 (Estina)
• The Commission found he directed Gupta associate Ashok Narayan, who was not a government employee, to accompany head of department Peter Thabethe on an Estina-linked trip to India, and later employed Narayan as his adviser.³Report reference: Part VI Vol 1 (Estina)

What it recommended

• The Commission recommended a criminal investigation over Vrede and that the Free State government seek legal advice on suing him to recover lost money.³

What happened next

1. 15 April 2025Trial began. The R255 million asbestos tender corruption trial began in the Bloemfontein High Court, with Magashule and 17 co-accused facing fraud, corruption and money laundering charges.⁴
2. 26 January 2026Trial postponed to 2 March 2026 after a Constitutional Court ruling on co-accused Moroadi Cholota's extradition.²
3. 18 February 2026Court ruling on co-accused. The Free State High Court dismissed Cholota's special plea, and the trial was due back in court on 2 March 2026.¹
4. 18 August 2026Trial postponed. The Free State High Court postponed the asbestos case to 18 January 2027.⁵

Their response

In August 2026 he maintained his innocence in the asbestos case, called it politically motivated and said he wanted the evidence tested in court, according to OFM. He did not give evidence to the Commission about his oversight of the Vrede project, as reported by News24Wire.

Sources

1. Daily Maverick, Court orders Moroadi Cholota to stand trial with Magashule in R255m asbestos case (18 February 2026)
2. eNCA, Asbestos trial involving Magashule, 16 others postponed to March (26 January 2026)
3. Polity.org.za, Zondo says Magashule, Zwane pushed 'Gupta agenda' with Vrede project, recommends criminal probe (News24Wire) (23 June 2022)
4. Sunday World, Ace Magashule's lawyer to grill lead investigator in asbestos graft trial (8 May 2025)
5. OFM, 'It's really waste of time': Magashule frustrated as asbestos case stalls (20 August 2026)

Commission findings are not criminal convictions. Some findings have been challenged in court. Each finding is attributed to the Commission and linked to its report.