Cape Town — Embattled Minister of Justice, Thembi Simelane, continues to brush off allegations against her alleged loan she took out linked to the former VBS Mutual Bank.
Simelane faced questions from Members of Parliament (MPs) during the National Assembly where she was asked once again about the alleged R575 600 loan that she received from Gundo Wealth Solutions, linked to her time as Polokwane Mayor in 2016 and 2017, EWN reported.
She was questioned about how she retained her role as Minister, despite the allegations against her. The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Glynnis Breytenbach, said Simelane was conflicted and needs to account for why she was still the minister.
“VBS was not registered nor authorised to give loans and you have an indisputable conflict of interest. So my question mister is this. Why are you still here?” Breytenbach asked.
Simelane did not give much away and failed to answer Breytenbach’s question properly.
@ThabisoTema ,so the whole noise regarding Thembi Simelane’s resignation because of VBS has died down now?In South Africa we live as soon as possible shem.@Powerfm987 #powerbreakfast
— isaac molwela (@isaac_molwela) November 13, 2024
The DA are not the only party who have called for action against Simelane, as ActionSA have also been vocal and have demanded action. The party’s caucus leader, Athol Trollip, wrote a letter to President Ramaphosa and pointed out that 77 days have passed since he last wrote to him, but nothing has happened, Sunday World reported.
“As of today, 77 days have passed since I first wrote to you. [I was] urging urgent action on the serious allegations surrounding the Minister of Justice, Thembi Simelane. Yet, despite the gravity of the matter, no substantial steps have been taken beyond the ‘report’ she provided you on 11th September, now two months old, which appears to be gathering dust on your desk,” said Trollip.
Trollip revealed that the ANC’s Head of Policy, Fébé Potgieter, revealed the importance of ethical conduct and said people who face allegations of corruption cannot be considered role models. He said Potgieter’s response to a Simelane-related question was telling of the point he had made to Ramaphosa in the past few months.
“Again, I ask, what will it take for you to finally act? And safeguard the integrity of South Africa’s justice system?” he said.
“If not for the country’s sake, then at least for the standing of the ANC, whose Head of Policy emphasises the urgent need to renew and entrench ethical conduct within its leadership. I hope you will consider the above. And urgently provide a response that reflects the seriousness and urgency of this matter,” said Trollip.
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Picture: X/@HouseofSimelane
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
