EFF leaders must answer on VBS

The best form of defence is attack. So, it’s not surprising that the EFF hit back at us with a combination of sarcasm, insults and deflections when we asked for comment on the latest revelations about the VBS Mutual Bank saga.

The former chair of VBS Mutual Bank Tshifhiwa Matodzi has sworn an affidavit that EFF leader Julius Malema and his underling, Floyd Shivambu, grabbed R16.1 million from the dying bank.

The High Court in Pretoria this week sentenced Matodzi to 495 years for his coordinated looting of the bank.

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

As part of an agreement, he pleaded guilty to all 33 charges and the sentence was reduced to 15 years.

Presumably, his affidavit will be the basis of evidence he gives in court as a state witness if charges are ever brought against Malema and Shivambu.

Matodzi’s statement not only confirms a series of investigative stories by journalist Pauli van Wyk a few years ago, it includes further prima facie incriminating allegations.

At the time, the EFF and its followers went for Van Wyk, accusing her of everything from racism to being a paid agent of white business and political interests.

Similar themes emerged from the EFF’s response to our questions, so the more things change, the more the stay the same.

What doesn’t change is the fact the thousands of disadvantaged people in Limpopo – including pensioners, grannies and widows – lost their life savings when VBS collapsed.

ALSO READ: DA demands answers about Malema and Shivambu’s involvement in VBS scandal

Malema and Shivambu must be brought to court and made to answer Matodzi’s claims… and the National Prosecuting Authority and the Hawks must not use the leaking of the affidavit as a reason to delay bringing anyone to court – no matter who they are.

If Matodzi’s story is all lies made up by “bloody agents”, to quote Malema’s deathless description of a journalist, they should be easily disproved, surely?