‘No step aside’ for Limpopo ANC deputy chair Florence Radzilani

Limpopo ANC deputy chair Florence Radzilani will not be asked to step aside for now, the ANC provincial executive committee said at the weekend.

This is in the wake of a leaked affidavit by former VBS Mutual Bank chair Tshifhiwa Matodzi, where he confirms he masterminded the looting of over R2 billion from the collapsed bank, together with a number of businessmen and women and politicians from different political parties.

Radzilani is accused of having received R300 000 from the bank directors for investing more than R300 million with the bank while serving as executive mayor of the Vhembe district municipality.

She was employed as MEC for transport and community safety during the time Stanley Mathabatha was premier. She is now MEC for social development under premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba.

Seven municipal mayors and a sizeable number of chief financial officers and municipal managers were fired for their involvement in VBS Mutual Bank municipal investments.

This was after the South African Reserve Bank warned municipalities not to invest municipal funds with a mutual bank. But about 11 councils in Limpopo ignored the ban which was a serious contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act. The councils invested R1.5 billion with the bank.

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ANC’s stance on Radzilani

According to the ANC step aside rule, any ANC member facing allegations or charges of corruption (or other serious crimes) should present themselves to the Integrity Commission, should step aside voluntarily if indicted, and should resign if convicted. But that was not the case with Radzilani.

The leaked Matodzi affidavit stoked the fires, with many calling for the ANC in Limpopo to take action. But the Limpopo ANC claimed there was currently nothing compelling the party to ask her to step aside.

“We will not hesitate to take action if there is evidence she received such money. Currently, there is still no basis to pursue the step aside clause against her.

“The deputy chair has not been charged by any law enforcement agencies and therefore there is absolutely nothing we can do, unless there is new information that suggests she received the bribe,” said Limpopo ANC spokesperson Jimmy Machaka.

However, the Bolsheviks political party of South Africa, known for being vocal against VBS municipal investments, does not buy Machaka’s story.

“Against all odds, Radzilani is still swimming in state-funded luxury perks, such as blue lights and air-conditioned offices, seven years after the people of Vhembe were robbed of millions of rands.

“The powerful Radzilani even managed to survive the ANC step aside rule. Even the powerful Danny Msiza, was asked to step aside but Radzilani was rewarded with MEC posts, not once but twice,” said the party’s secretary general Seun Mogotji.

“Why is the step aside selective and only applies to certain people? These are the questions that should be answered by the Limpopo ANC.

The people of the province who gave the ANC 74% of the votes deserve to know why a person like Radzilani is still in office.”

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