VBS scandal: ANC must be decisive like Nene - Mbalula
ANC elections head Fikile Mbalula believes that the party should be decisive when it comes to dealing with the VBS Mutual Bank scandal - like it was with former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene.
Mbalula was addressing the media at a briefing, where the party announced its upcoming tour of the country's provinces, where it was expected to engage with people and members on what it should prioritise in its election manifesto ahead of the 2019 polls.
He took a moment to respond to revelations in the damning forensic report on the collapsed VBS Mutual Bank, compiled by advocate Terry Motau and Werksmans Attorneys, in which several ANC members were named.
The report, titled "The Great Bank Heist", was released on Wednesday and it revealed allegations of looting through the bank.
It listed former executives of VBS and its largest shareholder Vele Investments as alleged perpetrators. Several ANC politicians as well as EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu's younger brother, Brian Shivambu, were named.
The ANC's provincial deputy chairperson Florence Radzilani and treasurer Danny Msiza were also mentioned.
On Thursday, Mbalula cited Nene's decision to step down, saying: "We need to work harder to win the trust of the people."
Nene stepped down from his role as head of Treasury on Monday for lying to South Africa about meeting the controversial Gupta family.
"You would have seen how the issue of Nhlanhla Nene, the finance minister, has been dealt with. It tells you that the new dawn says to us we are not going to wait for long when we can see the dangers of what we are up against, to pussyfoot on them. We need to be decisive," Mbalula said.
"Nene could have sat and dug in; said that I am not guilty of anything and we engage with the rest of the public. We go on and on with the discussion and the debates, with the rest of the republic on whether he must go or not," he added.
Mbalula also pointed out that the manner in which the ANC handled the VBS matter was "going to be an important story for many years to come" and he described the saga as "a total let down".
He called for swift action from the party in addressing the "alarming" matter "that requires decisive action. It is devastating news for all South Africans, particularly the poorest of the poor".
The party's elections head also said that the arms of the state needed to act without fear or favour, raising concern over continued perceptions that the ANC was complicit in corrupt dealings.
