Jacob Zuma’s daughter weighs in on Matodzi’s VBS affidavit leak

Former President Jacob Zuma’s daughter Dudu Zuma-Sambudla has expressed distrust in the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to investigate the leaking of jailed former VBS Mutual Bank chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi’s explosive affidavit.

The NPA on Friday said the leaking of Matodzi’s affidavit “undermines the administration of justice.”

The leaked 70-page witness statement went viral on social media on Thursday, just a day after the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria sentenced the 47-year-old Matodzi (47) to an effective 15 years in prison.

The statement with annexures totals 263 pages and took around three weeks to draft, according to sources.

While the NPA said it will investigate the leak and is even considering legal action, Zuma-Sambudla in a post on X said: “We Don’t Trust You!!!”

We Don’t Trust You!!! https://t.co/g6YcWDjxZT

— Hon. Dudu Zuma-Sambudla (@DZumaSambudla) July 13, 2024

ALSO READ: Former Treasury DG Dondo Mogajane responds to ‘baseless’ allegations of R1m VBS bribe

Leak condemned

NPA national spokesperson Advocate Mthunzi Mhaga condemned the leak as unlawful.

“This undermines the administration of justice and places several individuals, including members of the investigation and prosecution team, in danger.”

“Mhaga said the NPA is considering legal options in regards to the leak of the document.

“The leaking of confidential documents in high-profile and complex corruption cases like VBS compromises the hard work of investigators and prosecutors. This work involves a multipronged and long-term prosecution guided strategy requiring the utmost discretion and confidentiality including in the handling of documents, and cooperation agreements with accused persons.

“The NPA leadership has instructed the Director of Public Prosecutions, Pretoria, under whose jurisdiction the matter falls, to ensure that, together with the DPCI, a thorough investigation into the leak is conducted and that those responsible are held to account,” Mhaga said.

Cabinet Lekgotla

Responding to Matodzi’a affidavit, ahead of the two-day Cabinet lekgotla meeting in Pretoria, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said government wants those responsible for the collapse of the VBS Mutual to be jailed.

Ntshavheni said the executive would not be discussing the matter.

“The lekgotla did not speak about the VBS case, but you know the stance of government that’s why government instituted support mechanisms for the victims of VBS.”

Matodzi pleaded guilty to corruption, theft, fraud, money laundering and racketeering as part of a plea deal with the state.

ALSO READ: Former VBS boss Matodzi accuses Malema and Shivambu of ‘fleecing millions’ from bank

Malema and Shivambu implicated

His affidavit has implicated Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leaders, Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu, as well as former National Treasury director-general Dondo Mogajane in the VBS scandal.

Among the explosive allegations are claims that Malema and Shivambu knew the funds they received from VBS were unlawful, because they created a front company called Sgameka Projects.

Matodzi claims there was no legitimate business reason for the payments. Malema and Shivambu allegedly told him they needed money for their restaurant in Soweto, adding that they tried to “regularise” the payments after the curatorship of VBS by backdating a contract that was never entered into.

“To my knowledge, Sgameka is a company owned by Brian Shivambu, a brother to Floyd Shivambu who is the deputy president of EFF. The company was provided to me by Floyd to make payments that I promised to EFF.

“I made this promise following the news which had broken in the media that VBS had granted President [Jacob] Zuma a home loan for his Nkandla residence. Negative publicity arose in the country, particularly from those who were opposed to Zuma at the time. Amongst those was the EFF, Matodzi said in his court papers.

The Citizen has contacted EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo for comment on the allegations. Any update will be included once received.

The two have been silent on the matter, with Malema only sharing on social media: “For any inquiries, please refer to the archives for answers.”

National Treasury

Matodzi also accuses former National Treasury director-general Dondo Mogajane of accepting a “bribe” to help withdraw a letter from the National Treasury that instructed municipalities to stop depositing funds and withdraw investments from the VBS Bank.

Mogajane, who currently works for the Moti Group as chief executive, responded to the allegations saying he was one of the people who stopped Matodzi and “prevented VBS from pilfering South Africa any further”.

He said Matodzi’s allegations are “baseless”.

“I categorically deny that I have ever received corrupt monies or bribes. I proudly served with distinction, honesty, loyalty, and humility as a dedicated public servant for 23 years, the last five of which were as Director-General of National Treasury. My record is clean in terms of how I ran my department and conducted myself as a member of National Treasury.

“I will not be trialled by corrupt individuals or those driving their own agendas, and I will not allow anyone to tarnish my name,” Mogajane said.

Corrupt VBS officials

Matodzi was arrested alongside several other VBS officials in June 2020, among them former VBS chief financial officer (CFO) Phillip Truter.

Truter received a 10-year prison term in 2020 after admitting guilt to charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering, and racketeering.

ALSO READ: ‘Everybody who swindled VBS money need to serve their time’, says Ntshavheni