VBS Bank should have been saved: Malema
EFF leader Julius Malema says the party will write to all Cabinet ministers tomorrow to ask whether they had loans or mortgage bonds with the doomed VBS Bank.
Addressing the party’s manifesto consultation assembly with black professionals in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Friday night, Malema claimed that several ministers had bonds with VBS, which was liquidated earlier this month. Malema said their names were found in VBS’S loan book but were warned to move them to mainstream banks before the investigation that found widespread looting was completed.
He also took aim at the collapse of VBS, saying the bank should never have been shut down and those responsible for looting it arrested.
”Don’t close the VBS, arrest the criminals. Save the bank of the people, let’s perfect it,” Malema said.
The EFF has asked for a transcript of the investigation into VBS, says Malema. The EFF believes there is a plot to silence it using the VBS scandal and allegations that the party received money from the bank. EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu’s brother Brian was found to have received over R16 million in gratuitous payments from the bank’s biggest shareholder Vele Investments. Malema said the EFF had asked parliamentary questions to all ministers to find out if their children did business with the government. According to Malema, 11 ministers responded and revealed that their offspring had done business with the government and netted over R100m in contracts.
Malema also repeated claims the party has made against Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, this time revealing that they have his bank account number.
He said black people who own businesses should not commit the same injustices which they accuse of white-owned companies.
“That which you don’t want whites to do, you must not do as well,” Malema said.
EFF national chairperson Dali Mpofu said that the party valued their input.
“This is not a gimmick. In
January or February we will release our manifesto,” he said, adding that their input would be incorporated into the document.
| THE DA says it hopes the inquiry into the Public Investment Corporation will shed light on the circumstances surrounding the resignation of the chief executive, Dr Daniel Matjila.
The party said yesterday that despite Matjila resigning with immediate effect, it was concerned no details had been made public.
DA spokesperson on finance David Maynier said it noted that the PIC board had accepted the resignation.
“However, this cannot be the end of the matter. It is imperative that the board makes all the facts surrounding his resignation public,” he said.
ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe could not be reached for comment.
United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa said it had taken note of Matjila’s resignation.
He said Matjila should be called to account for what had happened at the PIC. Holomisa said Matjila would be the main person in the forthcoming inquiry into the PIC.
President Cyril Ramaphosa set up the inquiry a few months ago and it will begin its work next month.
Holomisa said the former PIC chief executive must appear before the inquiry to give evidence.
Mkhuleko Hlengwa of the IFP said it was not surprised by the latest developments.
He said Matjila, Deputy Minister of Finance Mondli Gungubele and the PIC board appeared before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) last week and want answers on many of the things at the corporation.
Hlengwa said he would write to Scopa chairperson Themba Godi for Matjila to appear before it.
Steve Swart of the African Christian Democratic Party said it welcomed the resignation of Matjila, but there were lots of questions to be answered on some of the decisions taken by the PIC.
He said he hoped the inquiry would clarify a lot of issues.
The PIC is not the only government entity facing a probe.
The South African Revenue Service is being investigated by retired Judge Robert Nugent’s commission, which recommended to President Cyril Ramaphosa in its interim report that former Sars boss Tom Moyane be fired.
Ramaphosa fired Moyane, who is contesting it in court.
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