Limpopo parties team up to stop ANC’s ‘VBS looters’
Vhembe mayor Florence Radzilani and former Lepelle Nkumpi mayor Nakedi Sibanda were accused of plundering VBS, yet they're on the ANC's candidates lists.
Former Vhembe District Municipality mayor Florence Radzilani, who was fingered for alleged links to the collapse of VBS Bank.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo has teamed up with Lepelle Nkumpi Development Party to try to stop the ANC from sending alleged VBS “looters” to parliament after the May 8 polls.
Vhembe district municipality mayor Florence Radzilani and former Lepelle Nkumpi municipality mayor Nakedi Sibanda were accused of plundering VBS. Radzilani made the ANC candidate list in seventh place while Sibanda came in at No 24.
About 11 municipalities in Limpopo and five others from North West and Gauteng invested more than R1.5 billion into the bank.
The DA’s Jacques Smalle said: “The Vhembe Municipality deposited over R800 million into VBS bank under Radzilani’s tenure.
“Radzilani is implicated for allegedly having requested more than R300 000 for ‘Christmas’ in exchange to ensure that VBS retains her municipality’s funds.
“Radzilani has proven to be dishonest and greedy and yet she is now being rewarded with a guaranteed seat in the Limpopo legislature.
“… during her tenure, she raked up R1.2 billion of unauthorised, irregular and fruitless expenditure.”
Radzilani yesterday refused to comment.
Smalle said under Sibanda’s watch, Lepelle Nkumpi deposited R153.3 million into VBS, and R129 million spent during the 2016-17 financial year was unaccounted for.
“The irregular expenditure was [for] unadvertised tenders, non-compliance on the composition of bid adjudication committees and subcontractors not appointed as per bid specifications.
“Sibanda failed to take actions to save her municipality and is clearly not a woman of integrity.”
President of the Lepelle Nkumpi Development Party Emmanuel Mphahlele said Sibanda was an architect of corruption who single-handedly nearly collapsed the Lepelle Nkumpi municipality through corrupt tendencies.
Mphahlele, whose party has one seat in the municipal council, said he was prepared to fight to stop the two from occupying public office.
Sibanda referred all queries to the ANC.
ANC provincial spokesperson, Donald Selamolele said accusations against Radzilani and Sibanda’s were never tested in court, which made them innocent until proven otherwise.
Branches nominate candidates “so if anyone received the nods, then the will of the people must run supreme,” he said.
– alexm@citizen.co.za
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