The ANC has confirmed that its MP and current Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Thembi Simelane, will be appearing before the party’s integrity commission later today.
In a statement, party spokesperson, Zuko Godlimpi confirmed a previous assertion made by party Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula, who said the former mayor would soon be appearing before the ANC’s disciplinary structure in no time.
Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa said he will carefully consider Simelane’s R575 000 VBS Mutual Bank loan scandal before making any decision on her future.
This was revealed by Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya while addressing the media in Cape Town on Ramaphosa’s programme.
“As communicated by the ANC Secretary-General Comrade Fikile Mbalula, the ANC confirms that Comrade Simelane will appear before the Integrity Committee today, 25th of September 2024,” Godlimpi said.
The ANC said its committee is the highest accountability mechanism which has established processes to oversee matters of this kind.
Early this month, as speculation over Simelane’s future continued to rise, with Mbalula saying the party would be following its established procedures in dealing with the matter and recommendations would be made following findings of the committee.
“The integrity commission, upon receiving her full account on what actually happened, will recommend to the national executive committee what must happen to the comrade. That is where we are, we have checks and balances in the party.
“After that, the commission will recommend what steps to be taken or at best, there is nothing we can do, the comrade is innocent. We do not want to prejudice any individuals so we follow the processes of the organisation that we have set in motion,” said Mbalula.
Simelane’s rise as the minister coincided with reports that she benefited through a loan of R575 600 from Gundo Wealth Solutions in 2016, when she was still the mayor of Polokwane Municipality.
Simelane, nee Nkadimeng, served as mayor for the municipality between 2014 and 2021, until she was appointed as justice minister in June this year.
‘IOL’ reported that the company, which is owned by Rallion Razwinane, was directly linked to the unlawful investments of municipal funds into the now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank during her time as mayor.
The minister has in the past professed her innocence in the matter and during a recent appearance before the Justice Portfolio Committee in Parliament, said she would be dealing with issue of whether she acted improperly or could have made better decisions during her tenure as executive mayor of Polokwane Municipality.
According to ‘IOL’, Simelane said it was public knowledge that Polokwane municipality invested money in VBS during her tenure as executive mayor.
“But what is not amplified, that on the advice of technical experts within the municipality, myself as the mayor, instituted the withdrawal of Polokwane Municipality from VBS.
“My attitude at the time was, if there was anything improper with regard to municipality funds, it must be stopped,” she said.
The Star
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