Malema retweets idea that Shivambu ‘only’ got R16m from VBS, so why the fuss?

On Thursday, EFF leader Julius Malema appeared so impressed with the calculations of one of his supporters that he retweeted his post about the breakdown of “corruption” involving political parties and the now liquidated VBS Mutual Bank.

The supporter rationalised the stats to suggest that the ANC had allegedly looted the vast majority of the money considered stolen from the bank, with the finger mainly pointing at the ANC.

By contrast, EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu’s brother Brian had received a “mere” R16 million as a consultant. This apparently equated to only about 1% of what was stolen.

By retweeting it, Malema seemed to agree with those questioning the reasoning of journalists who have focused on the EFF’s alleged involvement in the bank looting of the EFF, suggesting that theft and corruption might somehow be excusable if the amounts involved can be kept to more modest levels.

However, Malema and Shivambu have maintained their innocence, despite Brian Shivambu not following through with his threat to sue the author of the Reserve Bank-commissioned report that implicated him in the looting.

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Subsequent media investigations have made further direct links to proceeds from the VBS bank flowing directly to Floyd and Malema.

Journalists and commentators who have in the past been accused of disproportionately focusing on the alleged corruption of the EFF have countered that this focus is valid in the face of the EFF styling itself as a party of corruption busters, particularly that perpetrated by the corruption-riddled ANC.

(Edited by Charles Cilliers)

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