ANC finally admits to getting the R2m from VBS

In an interview with eNCA, ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile has admitted to the party receiving R2 million from the troubled VBS Mutual Bank through its controversial majority shareholder company Vele Investments.

His predecessor had earlier said he couldn’t “recall” it.

Earlier this week, the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs minister and the former treasurer of the ANC, Zweli Mkhize, denied claims that he requested R2 million from VBS for the party’s 2016 elections campaign.

It was reported that Mkhize asked for R2 million from the bank’s bosses and allegedly promised to assist the bank in securing investment from municipalities.

In a statement released by his office on Wednesday morning, Mkhize said that, in his capacity as the treasurer of the party, he “never assisted VBS in securing any funding from municipalities or any other state institution”.

“I have confirmed before that I met with VBS management and directors. This meeting was meant to introduce the bank to the organisation and to make one understand its business model.”

Mkhize claimed he never requested any form of a donation in exchange for a favour for the bank.

“I have no direct knowledge or personal recollection of the R2 million donation by VBS during my tenure as TG as reported. If any financial contribution was made to the ANC by VBS or any other company, this would have been without any influence or commitment from the ANC to do favours,” he said.

The minister said he was unaware of the bank’s relationship with municipalities.

“I only became aware of this relationship with municipalities and suspected fraud involving the VBS bank when this matter featured in the media this year,” he said.

On Monday, the ANC’s integrity committee recommended that two Limpopo ANC leaders mentioned in the ‘Big bank Heist’ report commissioned by the Reserve Bank step aside.

A number of ANC municipalities invested large amounts of money in the VBS Bank.

The report released earlier this month said the money “looted” from the bank was close to R2 billion.

The ANC said it was willing to pay back all the money received.

Mashatile set the record straight on these donations and other political matters inside the party.

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