Ramaphosa avoids public comment on Simelane’s VBS controversy [VIDEO]

The Presidency says that President Cyril Ramaphosa will refrain from commenting publicly on matters relating to Justice Minister Thembi Simelane amid allegations that she benefited from the Venda Building Society (VBS) Mutual Bank.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya briefed the media in Cape Town on Wednesday about Ramaphosa’s public program.

On Friday, Simelane appeared before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Justice to address allegations that she funnelled millions into the now-defunct VBS while serving as the mayor of Polokwane in 2016.

Watch Vincent Magwenya saying President Cyril Ramaphosa is “applying his mind” in the Thembi Simelane VBS matter

The presidency said President #CyrilRamaphosa will refrain from commenting in the public domain on matters relating to Justice Minister #ThembiSimelane amid explosive allegations that she benefitted from #VBSBank @TheCitizen_News pic.twitter.com/9mXF0xf4CQ

— 𝙵𝚊𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚕 𝙿𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚕 ⚡️ (@FaizelPatel143) September 12, 2024

Ramaphosa applying mind

Simelane has denied any wrongdoing in taking a “dodgy” loan from a VBS fixer to buy a coffee shop.

Magwenya said Ramaphosa will make a decision on Simelane once he has examined the report she submitted to him.

“President Ramaphosa is in receipt of a report from the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Ms Thembi Simelane. As stated before, the President will apply his mind over the matter. In doing so, the President will not engage issues that he manages with ministers, including Minister Simelane in the public domain.

“The President appreciates the importance of the Justice Ministry in the leadership of the Justice security and crime prevention cluster, and contribution to the successful functioning of the cluster. The President is committed to ensure the highest levels of integrity within the National Executive. He will consider all the facts on the matter before making any determination,” Magwenya said.

ALSO READ: ‘ANC will decide whether I must step aside or step down,’ says Simelane

“Dodgy loan”

Simelane took a R575,600 “commercial loan” from Gundo Wealth Solutions, a company that allegedly brokered unlawful investments of R349 million by the Polokwane Municipality into the now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank.

Gundo Wealth Solutions is owned by Ralliom Razwinane. He stands trial on 13 counts of corruption as part of the main criminal case around the R2 billion theft that collapsed the bank in early 2018.

The alleged kickbacks to Gundo, a portion of which eventually ended up with Simelane, are the subject of two counts of corruption.

Earlier this week, Simelane said the African National Congress (ANC) will decide whether she must step aside and step down from her position as justice minister of the country amid allegations that she benefitted from VBS.

Last week, political analyst and North West University Professor Andre Duvenhage said he believes that Simelane “may not survive” the VBS allegations and that Ramaphosa will come under pressure to take action against her.

ALSO READ: Thembi Simelane ‘may not survive’ VBS allegations – analyst