ANC’s NWC ‘set to meet’ – Will the party discuss latest VBS claims after members implicated?

Despite recent implications of some African National Congress (ANC) leaders in the Venda Building Society (VBS) Mutual Bank scandal, the party is reportedly unlikely to take action against those members.

Former VBS Mutual Bank chairperson, Tshifhiwa Matodzi’s affidavit has caused uproar after the leaked document began circulating on social media this week.

Matodzi pleaded guilty to a range of charges – including fraud and money laundering – as part of a plea agreement with the state and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.

His 70-page affidavit detailed the scale of the corruption and looting of at least R2.2 billion from VBS.

The document also implicated politicians and political parties that were mentioned as having benefited from the now-defunct bank.

ANC members mentioned

Former Cabinet minister, Zweli Mkhize was one of the ANC members mentioned in the affidavit.

Matodzi claimed that he met with Mkhize in 2016 when the ANC MP was still the ruling party’s treasurer-general.

The purpose of the meeting was to ask for Mkhize to assist VBS with accessing much larger facilities at the Public Investment Corporation (PIC).

A payment was allegedly made via a third party purportedly for an ANC supplier.

“I recall an amount of R2 million, which was paid via Joseph Nkadimeng or Tseke Nkadimeng, which was requested by Dr Mkhize,” Matodzi said in his affidavit.

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The affidavit also implicates the former mayor of Limpopo’s Vhembe municipality, Florence Radzilani, who was previously accused of getting a R300 000 bribe for investing municipal funds in VBS.

But, according to Matodzi’s affidavit, the ANC Limpopo leader wanted to receive “Christmas” money of at least R1.5 million.

Furthermore, Matodzi claimed VBS settled a R3 million South African Communist Party (SACP) conference bill in 2017, following a request by Gauteng MEC, Jacob Mamabolo.

Mamabolo was then ANC Gauteng’s chairperson.

“On July 6, 2017, the said amount was paid directly to Birchwood Hotel from MML Food Services. There were no further requests received from the SACP regarding payments.”

ANC NWC meeting

However, Sunday Times has reported that the ANC is unlikely to entertain the allegations against any of their members, ahead of the party’s national working committee (NWC) meeting reportedly scheduled for Monday.

“An affidavit can be equivalent to a report. Unless it goes to a process where decisions are taken in law — only then can it have an impact. I doubt we can even discuss it at NWC,” an ANC member reportedly told the publication.

READ MORE: NPA and Hawks to probe ex-VBS boss Tshifhiwa Matodzi affidavit leak

The NWC is responsible for the day-to-day running of the ANC and makes recommendations to the the party’s national executive committee (NEC).

The body comprises of the ANC “top seven” officials and 20 additional members.

Meanwhile, another ANC leader reportedly asserted that Matodzi’s affidavit “does not hold water” and, therefore, the party cannot “take action against people because of word of mouth”.

EFF leaders implicated in VBS

Matodzi’s affidavit has implicated Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leaders, Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu, in the VBS scandal.

Lobby group, AfriForum, has announced that the organisation has instructed its legal team to lay charges of corruption, fraud, and money laundering against the pair.

“These charges will soon be lodged with the police,” AfriForum’s statement reads.

The organisation said it would monitor and put pressure should the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) appear to “drag its feet” on whether to prosecute Malema and Shivambu.

“Should the state however fail to prosecute Malema and Shivambu, AfriForum will consider private prosecution as an alternative,” AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said on Friday.

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