Nkhensani Chauke
ActionSA has on Monday filed an urgent complaint with the Public Protector against Minister of Justice Thembi Simelane, in connection with an alleged loan she took from a VBS Bank investment broker, Rallion Razwinane who is currently facing criminal charges related to the collapse of the bank.
Simelane is accused of taking a R500 000 loan from Gundo Wealth Solutions owned by Razwinane, who is alleged to have negotiated unlawful investments of R349 million into VBS mutual Bank by the Polokwane Municipality while she was still the Mayor in 2016.
The Minister is reported as having admitted to receiving the loan and that she has subsequently repaid it and had proof to that effect.
When VBS collapsed in March 2018, the forensics investigations found that Razwinane was rewarded with R24.2 million for being a commissioning agent for multiple municipalities and state entities.
Razwinane is currently on trial for fraud, corruption and money laundering for his position as a commission agent connecting municipalities, including Polokwane Municipality with VBS.
ActionSA spokesperson Athol Trollip said if the Public Protector concludes that there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing, actionSA will write to President Ramaphosa requesting the immediate removal of Simelane as Justice Minister.
DA spokesperson Adv. Glynnis Breytenbash said they were deeply concerned by the disturbing revelations surrounding Simelane’s loan from VBS.
Breytenbash said DA has submitted a request to the chair of justice Parliamentary Portfolio, for the Minister to appear before the portfolio to answer these allegations of impropriety.
VBS Mutual bank in 2018 was declared insolvent and bankrupt, placed under curatorship following allegations of fraud amounting to R2 billion.
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