ANC

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ANC vows to return money received from VBS Mutual Bank

ANC spokesperson, Pule Mabe vowed, on behalf of the party, to comply with all processes into the VBS investigation.

ANC

Twitter / @MyANC

ANC officials who have been implicated in the Great Bank Heist report that was commissioned by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), will form part of the main agenda of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) special meeting this weekend.

ANC implicated in dodgy R2-million donation from VBS bank

Advocate Terry Motau, the author of the report, in his forensic investigation, identified a list of more than 50 individuals and companies that may have benefited from the looting of R2-billion at South Africa’s first and only black-owned bank.

Of these, ANC officials such as Limpopo’s ANC chairperson, Florence Radzilani and the provincial treasurer, Danny Msiza, have been identified as beneficiaries of the looting.

Further shocking revelations implicating the ANC as a party came after Caiphus Kgosana and Qaanitah Hunter from the Sunday Times, revealed in an article that was published on Sunday, that there was evidence suggesting that the ANC may have received R2-million from the defunct bank.

Read – VBS Scandal: ANC in Limpopo huddles over accountability

It is alleged that the ANC’s treasurer-general, Zweli Mkhize, was at the centre of securing this amount from VBS bank. Mkhize, who is the Minister of Cooperative Governance, according to the evidence gathered by the newspaper, was in contact with Tshifhiwa Matodzi over the R2-million the party needed in 2016 to apparently “raise money from municipalities and state institutions”.

This, according to the newspaper, was a cover-up fee that allowed VBS’ senior officials to plough through billions of rands.

ANC is willing to pay back the money, but not all of it

According to this evidence which allegedly comes in the form of WhatsApp messages, an exchange between VBS bosses places the ANC as the recipient of a financial boost into their 2016 local government election campaign.

However, ANC’s spokesperson, Pule Mabe, presented a different figure when he addressed the allegations on behalf of his party.

He was quoted in an Eyewitness News article as saying,

“We are most willing to do the most honourable thing. Of course, we’ll have our own investigation to establish the merits and facts of the issue.”

Mabe also denied having any knowledge of an R2-million donation from the defunct bank. The only thing the party accepts it may have received from VBS was a table that was purchased for the ANC’s 106th birthday celebration that took place in East London in January.

Read – “They’re finding themselves in the same spot as ANC” – says Madonsela on Shivambu-VBS saga

Mabe did confirm, however, that once the investigation the party has launched concludes that there was more money received from VBS, the ANC would be sure to pay it all back.

Duarte defends Integrity Committee recommendation and hints at fiery NEC special meeting

Furthermore, it was reported by Natasha Marrian from Business Day that George Mashamba, the head of the ANC’s Integrity Committee, has called for the ANC members implicated in the VBS looting to step aside from their positions and halt all activities involving the party.

He was quoted as saying

“Having considered the matter, the national integrity commission is of the view that the reputation and credibility of the ANC has been seriously damaged.

“To protect the integrity and reputation of the ANC, the [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,” Mashamba said.

This is the rest of the statement from Mashamba that was published on the ANC’s Twitter page on Monday.

The party’s Deputy Secretary-General, Jessie Duarte, was, earlier on Monday, speaking to eNCA reporter, Aldrin Sampear on the powers vested by the Integrity Committee and what the ANC’s stance on the investigation into VBS was.

She confirmed that the recommendations made by the Mashamba were in line with the resolution that was passed at Nasrec in December 2017, where it was concluded that those who were found guilty of wrongdoing within the party would have to face the committee for further recommendations.

Supporting the call from Mashamba for the implicated ANC members to “step aside”, she stated that

“step aside while all the matters are being properly investigated, and that is the matter that they are putting to the ANC NEC. The NEC has that power to request people to step aside.”

Duarte also confirmed that the report, together with the new allegations that have been brought to light will be at the top of the agenda at the NEC special meetings this weekend.