The alleged R700K signature that could sink a minister

Thembi Simelane

Cape Town – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has filed criminal charges against Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane, accusing her of corruption and fraud involving more than R700,000 allegedly siphoned from Eskom during her time at a consulting firm.

DA lawmaker Glynnis Breytenbach said in a statement on Wednesday that Simelane is alleged to have signed off on inflated invoices while working for Vitrovian, a consultancy reportedly contracted by Eskom to suppress protests at the Kusile Power Station during its construction.

“Vitrovian’s charges to Eskom appear ridiculously inflated,” Breytenbach said. “Eskom was allegedly invoiced for work done by employees that did not exist, and Simelane’s signature appears on the very first of these fraudulent invoices, directly implicating her in the scandal.”

The DA further alleged that the charges add to Simelane’s “alleged involvement and subsequent implication in the looting of VBS Bank”, a reference to the 2018 scandal in which billions of rand were siphoned from the now-defunct mutual bank.

Despite repeated calls by the DA, President Cyril Ramaphosa has reportedly refused to disclose the contents of a report submitted to him by Simelane regarding the allegations. Breytenbach claims the president’s silence amounts to shielding a minister implicated in serious wrongdoing.

“President Ramaphosa is allowing a culture of impunity among ANC ministers implicated in corruption, and if he fails to remove Simelane from her post, he will become complicit in the corruption he says he is intent on fighting,” she said.

The DA has called on the South African Police Service to launch a full investigation into the minister’s alleged role in the fraud scheme.

“The DA is determined to purge this government of its corrupt officials, with or without the help of the president,” Breytenbach added. “We eagerly await the outcome of the investigation.”

Article written by