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ActionSA has filed an urgent Public Protector complaint against the Minister of Justice, Thembi Simelane, following revelations that during her tenure as Mayor of the Polokwane Municipality, she personally took a so-called “loan” from the same corrupt investment brokerage that facilitated the unlawful investment of R349 million from the Municipality into the now-collapsed VBS Bank. We will also write to inform President Ramaphosa of this complaint. 

News24 and Daily Maverick revealed that Minister Simelane received R575,600.00 from Gundo Wealth Solutions, the corrupt investment brokerage owned by Ralliom Razwinane, who is currently on trial for fraud, corruption, and money laundering related to his role in facilitating connections and “investments” between municipalities, including the Polokwane Municipality, and the now defunct VBS Bank.

Worryingly, the question we need answered is whether South Africa’s Justice Minister is possibly the recipient and beneficiary of illicit VBS cash, as the available information suggests. Consequently, it is a matter of grave concern that Minister Simelane, who now oversees the Department of Justice and who wields significant influence over the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), is the very person responsible for the institution tasked with prosecuting corruption, potentially including this very matter.

ActionSA believes this is a clear case of an obvious conflict of interest, with the integrity of the justice system under her stewardship at stake. It is simply untenable that the very person entrusted with ensuring justice is upheld in South Africa may herself be compromised, which, in turn, casts a shadow over the NPA’s ability to carry out its mandate impartially and without favour.

ActionSA has therefore approached the Public Protector to urgently initiate an investigation into this matter and to probe the potential violation of the Executive Members’ Ethics Act. We simply cannot afford to overlook this issue, given the implications for our justice system. What’s more is the fact that everyone involved in the looting of VBS Bank needs to be prosecuted, regardless of their political affiliation.

Should the Public Protector conclude that there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing, ActionSA will write to President Cyril Ramaphosa, requesting the immediate removal of Thembi Simelane as Justice Minister.

Issued by ActionSA Parliamentary Caucus Leader Athol Trollip