VBS scandal: Vhembe mayor seeking legal advice on municipality's dealings with collapsed bank
17 October 2018
Vhembe district municipality Mayor Florence Radzilani has claimed she was not aware that the municipality had conducted any business with VBS Mutual Bank, and is seeking legal advice on the matter.
Radzilani is one of the more than 50 people implicated in the report into large-scale fraud at the bank, following its collapse earlier this year.
She allegedly received an amount of R300 000. Her municipality reportedly invested R300m in the bank.
The mayor on Wednesday said she and her legal team were busy studying the report "so they would be able to give me legal advice".
"Right now, I'm not in a position to issue any statement or address the people on the matter. I'll issue a statement at an appropriate time," Radzilani told eNCA.
She claimed she had received the report by advocate Terry Motau through social media.
Motau headed an investigation into the bank's collapse. The report is titled "The great bank heist".
On the municipality's dealings with the bank, she said: "I'm not aware. Maybe let me also indicate that we are talking about a report which implicated me, which was processed by legal investigators, hence I'm saying to you, I'm also involving my legal team on the matter.
"I'll take it from there and respond at an appropriate time. I don't have any comment on the matter."
Radzilani indicated that she has never been afforded an opportunity by the investigators to deny or confirm the allegations levelled against her.
"It's true that my name is there. That's the reason why I'm studying the report, on the basis that my name is implicated," Radzilani said.
She said her statement would also address issues pertaining to a sound clip, where she denies any dealings with, or knowing anyone from, the bank.
It was earlier reported that Radzilani's office had cancelled a press briefing on Wednesday on her alleged involvement in the VBS saga.
