State capture commission wants bank records of EFF’s Malema, Shivambu – report

The Zondo commission has reportedly requested the banking records of EFF leaders Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu. The request comes only a week after the commission reportedly asked for financial records of former president Jacob Zuma and his children. The alleged probe into Malema and his associates is reportedly linked to a number of state contracts.

The Zondo commission has reportedly broadened its investigation into state capture to include EFF leaders Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu, according to a report by the Sunday Times.

The report states that the commission has issued subpoenas to South Africa’s major banks to provide information on more than 36 entities. These include Malema’s financial records and those of his wife, Mantoa; his late grandmother, Sarah; his lawyer, Ian Levitt; his Ratanang Family Trust, as well as a number of companies linked to him.

Allegedly included on the list are Shivambu, his brother, Brian, and Brian’s companies, which allegedly illegally benefitted from the R2.3 billion VBS Mutual Bank heist.

The investigators are reportedly studying the bank records after information was provided by whistleblowers. The probe is reportedly related to a number of state contracts.

According the report, the banks had complied, and investigators were now analysing the bank records.

Until now there has been no indication that Malema, Shivambu, their families and associates were a target of the state capture inquiry.

Malema told the Sunday Times he was not aware of any subpoenas for his bank records nor those of his wife and grandmother.

Levitt also said he was unaware of subpoenas regarding his accounts.

Last week, the Sunday Times reported it had seen subpoenas relating to at least 20 accounts linked to the Zuma family, including a TV production company – belonging to one of Zuma’s daughters, Gugulethu Zuma-Ncube – that produces the SABC1 soapie Uzalo .

Lashed out

In a statement released on Friday, Zuma lashed out at the commission over the reported interest in his children’s bank accounts. Zuma appealed to the commission and law enforcement agencies to keep his children out of its investigations. He added that while he accepted the commission was “desperate” to hold him to account in its state capture probe, he condemned attempts to target his children by way of “clandestine investigations” in matters they had nothing to do with.

However, Zondo commission spokesperson Reverend Mbuyiselo Stemela would not be drawn into the furore.

“The commission has nothing to say about former president’s statement concerning the latter’s children’s bank accounts. Should there be something to say, the media will be informed,” he said on Saturday.

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