Call to suspend ANC members linked to VBS

The ANC's national integrity commission has recommended to the national executive committee that office bearers and party members implicated in the VBS Mutual Bank saga should be directed to step aside from all leadership positions and activities of the party.

“Having considered the matter‚ the national integrity commission is of the view that the reputation and credibility of the ANC has been seriously damaged‚” said George Mashamba‚ chairperson of the commission.

“To protect the integrity and reputation of the ANC‚ the national integrity commission recommends to the national executive committee that these members should be directed to step aside from all leadership positions and all activities of the ANC.”

In a statement issued on Monday‚ the commission reported that its weekend meeting considered the question of office bearers and members of the ANC implicated in the VBS Mutual Bank saga.

Last week ANC MPs shouted “pay back the money” during a debate on the VBS Mutual Bank scandal while EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu was addressing the parliament.

Shivambu’s brother, Brian, is one of the 53 people and companies implicated the “Great Bank Heist" report into the failure of VBS Mutual Bank.

That report implicated Florence Radzilani‚ deputy chairperson of the ANC in Limpopo‚ who allegedly invested R300m from the Vhembe District Municipality in the embattled bank and in turn received bribes.

Provincial treasurer Danny Msiza has also been implicated as a kingpin who allegedly played a role in ensuring that municipalities made illegal deposits with the bank.

Both Radzilani and Msiza have denied the allegations.

Despite the members having been advised by the secretarygeneral’s office to approach the party’s integrity commission‚ Mashamba said “thus far‚ they have not done so”.

The ANC had taken a strong stance against allegations raised in the report and called for accountability without delay.