A Hawks branded car. Picture: Jacques Nelles
As pressure mounts on Justice Minister Thembi Simelane to step aside, the Hawks raided the Polokwane Municipality offices in Limpopo in connection with the Venda Building Society (VBS) Mutual Bank scandal.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) executed a search and seizure warrant at the municipality, aiming to collect evidence as part of the ongoing investigation into VBS Bank.
The local municipality had invested over R300 million in the now-collapsed bank between 2016 and 2017.
According to the municipality, the Hawks’ raid specifically targeted Simelane’s former personal assistant (PA).
“The municipality can confirm. Yes indeed, the police visited the office of one officer who was a PA to the former executive mayor with a court order to access, and cease.
“They have taken computers and cellphones and some documents.
ALSO READ: Thembi Simelane ‘may not survive’ VBS allegations – analyst
“The municipality has previously confirmed that they have invested in VBS and withdrew the investment and got its money, and what we have done since then is that we have ensured that senior managers are taken through workshops and training for the Municipal Finance Management Act [MFMA],” the municipality’s spokesperson, Matshidiso Mothapo told SABC News on Saturday.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Limpopo welcomed the Hawks’ ongoing investigations into the municipality.
The raid follows Simelane’s recent appearance before Parliament, where the former Polokwane mayor (2014–2021) faced intense questioning regarding her alleged involvement in the VBS scandal.
Simelane acknowledged receiving a loan of more than R500 000 from Gundo Wealth Solutions, a company linked to VBS.
Ralliom Razwinane, the owner of Gundo Wealth Solutions, is currently on trial for corruption related to the VBS looting scandal.
READ MORE: VBS: Parly committee says Simelane must step down
However, Simelane dismissed allegations of a conflict of interest, denying that the funds used to start her Sandton coffee shop came from the money allegedly stolen from the liquidated bank.
Addressing the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development on Friday, she stated that she had repaid the full amount, including interest, in three installments.
But some members of the committee were not convinced and called for the minister to step down to allow the investigations into VBS to continue smoothly.
Non-profit organisation (NPO) Open Secrets’ head of investigations, Michael Marchant, told Sunday Times that that Simelane’s explanation was not satisfactory and questioned whether President Cyril Ramaphosa would act on his Cabinet minister.
“Assuming that she has provided the president with no other information than she has given the public and the parliamentary committee, I think the president would be in a strong position to at least ask the minister to step aside pending a full investigation.
“And I think his position would be strengthened by the fact that the public is extremely concerned about this and has lost trust,” Marchant said.
Ramaphosa recently stated that the allegations against Simelane would not be “swept under the carpet”.
NOW READ: ‘I don’t have a choice to be investigated or not’ over VBS loan – Simelane [VIDEO]
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