‘We don’t want to prejudice anyone’: Fikile Mbalula insists ANC following procedure on Thembi Simelane VBS saga
African National Congress secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, on Monday said the party was following its established procedures in dealing with the matter of Justice Minister Thembi Simelane.
Simelane has been sucked into the controversial VBS scandal, with allegations that she received a “loan” to buy a coffee shop.
Last week, IOL reported that taking the stand before the Justice Portfolio Committee in Parliament, Simelane said she would be dealing with issue of whether she acted improperly or could have made better decisions during her tenure as executive mayor of Polokwane Municipality in Limpopo.
On Monday, Mbalula addressed journalists in Gauteng ahead of the starting of a national working committee meeting of the ANC in Boksburg.
He said the party is careful not to jeopardise its members, and it might turn out that they were innocent.
“The minister will be subjected to the ANC integrity commission. She will present herself to the integrity commission,” said Mbalula.
“The integrity commission, upon receiving her full account on what actually happened, will recommend to the national executive committee what must happen to the comrade. That is where we are, we have checks and balances in the party.”
He said the integrity commission is in a better place to recommend what steps should be taken against Simelane, or the commission will discover that she is innocent.
“After that, the commission will recommend what steps to be taken or at best, there is nothing we can do, the comrade is innocent. We do not want to prejudice any individuals so we follow the processes of the organisation that we have set in motion,” said Mbalula.
“What an individual does in the public domain to clear herself in terms of engagement, that is her own call. She is doing it on her own behalf and it is not an ANC mandate,” he said.
“On the government side, the president’s prerogative has kicked in. The president (Cyril Ramaphosa) will make a determination about that.”
Last week, IOL reported that Ramaphosa said the matter of his embattled justice minister is receiving his attention, and he appealed for time to deal with the case.
On Thursday night, IOL attended a press briefing in Beijing, the capital of China, where he bade farewell to South African and international journalists at the conclusion of his “most successful” two-pronged visit to China.
Asked about the allegations swirling around his justice minister, Ramaphosa responded: “Let us start with the issue of the minister of justice … that is a matter we are dealing with. As president, I do need space and the time to be able to deal with this matter.
“Certainly, the matter is being dealt with, as I indicated some few days ago. It is not a matter that is going to be swept under the carpet, it is being dealt with. Be rest assured, the matter is being addressed,” he said.
Calls have been growing in South Africa for Simelane to fall on her sword, following revelations of her alleged involvement in the grand looting of the now defunct VBS Mutual Bank.
According to media reports, during her tenure as Polokwane Executive Mayor in Limpopo, Simelane pocketed a “loan” of R575,600, from Gundo Wealth Solutions, which was allegedly used to buy a coffee shop in Sandton.
The allegedly corrupt investment brokerage was owned by Ralliom Razwinane, who is currently on trial for fraud, corruption, and money laundering related to his role in facilitating connections and dodgy investments between several municipalities and the VBS Mutual Bank.
Previously, the ANC Veterans League had urged Ramaphosa to publicly disclose the outcomes of his meeting with the accused Simelane.
ANC head of elections and Chief Whip, Mdumiseni Ntuli said “the ministers are accountable to Parliament through the portfolio committee and directly to Parliament”.
“All of us should be satisfied with the fact that the president (Ramaphosa) has had a meeting with the minister and that the discussion, at an appropriate time, would be shared by the president, and equally with the people of South Africa,” Ntuli said.
He emphasised that Ramaphosa’s decision to meet with Simelane demonstrated the commitment to addressing concerns and ensuring transparency.
Several parties, including ActionSA, the Democratic Alliance (DA), Congress of the People (COPE) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are gunning for the removal or resignation of Simelane amid the long-running VBS scandal.
IOL