‘Heist’ author faces legal backlash
Key ‘beneficiaries’ weigh up options
“I gave everyone listed in the forensic report on how the VBS Mutual Bank was looted a chance to respond to findings levelled against them.”
This is according to advocate Terry Motau, who compiled the report. He was responding to those implicated and were claiming that they were seeking legal action because he never contacted them.
“The report says who was interviewed and identifies objectively that the bank lost money because the money was stolen and also identifies entities and persons who received money without any just cause,” Motau told Sowetan.
The report, released on Wednesday, detailed how R1.89bn from VBS was illegally received by 53 people between 2015 and this year.
Limpopo’s provincial executive committee member and treasurer Danny Msiza, ANC Youth League provincial secretary David Selan, SA Communist Party Limpopo secretary and mayor of Capricorn municipality Gilbert Kganyago, EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu’s younger brother, Brian, have all been listed as benefactors of the illegal payments which left thousands of the bank’s customers destitute earlier this year.
Kganyago told Sowetan yesterday that he would take legal action against the authors of the report.
“I have nothing to say, the report is there. I will take legal counsel on the matter against the writers of the report,” said the mayor.
SACP spokesperson Alex Mashilo said the party had called for prosecution of any person who is implicated in the VBS “looting” report.
Brian Shivambu, who according to the report received R16m from the bank, denied that he or his company benefitted directly from VBS.
“Sgameka Projects does not have any working relationship with VBS and has never received any payment from the bank,” he said yesterday,
He said he was considering legal action against the authors of the report.
When contacted, Floyd Shivambu responded via SMS: “Sorry, I can’t talk now.”
According to the report, Msiza was behind a multimillion-rand “commission scheme” that paid out bribes to council officials who made payments to VBS on behalf of municipalities.
In July, Limpopo EFF provincial secretary Jossey Buthane accused Msiza of having collected about R4m from the deals he facilitated.
ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte said it was still studying the report.
“If the investigations find that there are members [of the ANC] who are implicated and are indeed guilty, then the ANC will act,” Duarte said.