WATCH | Ramaphosa won’t comment publicly on minister Simelane’s VBS scandal allegations

Thembi Simelane

Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa will not publicly comment on allegations against Justice Minister Thembi Simelane regarding her involvement with the collapsed VBS Mutual Bank, according to Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.

Simelane, accused of funneling millions into VBS while serving as Polokwane mayor in 2016, recently denied wrongdoing before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Justice, including allegations of accepting a “dodgy” loan from a VBS fixer.

Magwenya said that Ramaphosa is reviewing a report from Simelane and will decide on the matter privately.

“President Ramaphosa is in receipt of a report from the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Ms Thembi Simelane. As stated before, the President will apply his mind over the matter. In doing so, the President will not engage issues that he manages with ministers, including Minister Simelane in the public domain.

“The President appreciates the importance of the Justice Ministry in the leadership of the Justice security and crime prevention cluster, and contribution to the successful functioning of the cluster. The President is committed to ensure the highest levels of integrity within the National Executive. He will consider all the facts on the matter before making any determination,” Magwenya said during a media briefing in Cae Town on Wednesday.

Simelane’s alleged link to VBS involves a R575,600 loan from Gundo Wealth Solutions, which facilitated unlawful investments by the Polokwane Municipality into VBS.

The ANC will decide if Simelane should step aside amid increasing pressure on Ramaphosa to act.

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

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