Justice Minister Thembi Simelane. Picture: X/@NonqabaMosunku9
African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has said that embattled Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Thembi Simelane has given a full account of allegations that she benefitted from the VBS scandal.
The justice minister allegedly took a R575 600 “commercial loan” from Gundo Wealth Solutions, owned by Ralliom Razwinane.
The firm allegedly brokered unlawful investments of R349 million into the now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank by the Polokwane Municipality.
Simelane was mayor of the Polokwane Municipality at the time.
In an ANC media briefing on Monday, Mbalula said he had spoken to Simelane about the allegations against her.
“She has given a full account to the secretary-general about what happened. I will report to the officials about what she said. Of course, besides that, we’ve got checks and balances.
“She will go to the integrity commission, present herself, and then we will be advised by the integrity commission having evaluated what she said to them and based on the facts before them,” Mbalula said.
ALSO READ: VBS Bank: Formal complaint laid over Justice Minister Simelane’s ‘dodgy’ loan
Mbalula reminded the media that President Cyril Ramaphosa is also “acting on the VBS matter”.
Ramaphosa last week summoned Simelane to provide a detailed report on allegations that linked her to the VBS scandal.
“As you know, he has reported to the country and all of us that he is awaiting a response from comrade Thembi, in terms of that. I’m sure, by now, that report has come. Should there be any activity around this matter, we’ll make it public,” Mbalula said.
“The matter is receiving the attention of the organisation and comrade Thembi has been quite cooperative in explaining herself on this matter.”
Simelane used the “loan” to buy a coffee shop in two transactions in October 2016. The payments appear linked to kickbacks received in exchange for large deposits by Polokwane Municipality into VBS.
The Citizen visited the Fredman Towers office building in Sandton to verify whether Simelane’s coffee shop, called Silvana’s was still operating, but was told the shop had been vacant since last year and only occupied in February this year, when a new tenant moved in.
Several opposition parties and civil society organisations have called for Simelane to urgently clarify corruption allegations that linked her to the VBS scandal.
ALSO READ: DA and Good party gun for Justice Minister Thembi Simelane over dodgy VBS ‘loan’
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