ANC leaders in Limpopo were aware of donation from VBS – report

African National Congress (ANC) Limpopo leaders were reportedly aware that the defunct VBS Mutual Bank donated to the party by hiring buses at R703,500 to transport delegates to the governing party’s elective conference last year.

A report released this year commissioned by the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) titled The Great Bank Heist, which was penned by advocate Terry Motau, implicated the ANC Limpopo treasurer, Danny Msiza, and the deputy chairperson of the ANC in the province, Florence Radzilani, in the alleged looting of the bank, among others.

Last week, the ANC Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) in Limpopo took the decision to fire six mayors in the province, all of whom had been accused of involvement in the alleged looting of VBS Bank, while Radzilani quit.

Msiza also stepped down from his position last week after court papers were filed which revealed he had personally benefitted from the alleged looting of the bank.

The Sowetan reports that another resignation from the party’s provincial leadership was that of the ANC’s Limpopo finance manager Imtyaaz Mohamed who has stated his dealings with the bank had been honest and open and that the party’s leadership knew about them.

Mohamed’s resignation reportedly came after allegations were revealed that he had facilitated the donation for the transportation of delegates to the ANC conference last year.

However, the publication reports that Mohamed has denied dealing directly with the bank and that he had only dealt with it to solicit donations for the ANC in Limpopo.

The donation, according to Mohamed, had been honest and open. He claimed the PEC in Limpopo was aware of it and that Msiza had reported it to the provincial structure.

The publication reports that Msiza wrote to the chairperson of the ANC in the province, Stan Mathabatha, and the provincial secretary, Soviet Lekganyane, confirming the donation from the bank had been honest and open and had been reported to the finance sub-committee and PEC officials at the time.

Msiza was quoted as saying in his letter that he had requested Mathabatha to send a quotation for the transportation.

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