President must urgently act against Justice Minister amid reported VBS link

26 August 2024

It is completely untenable to have the Minister of Justice, responsible for protecting the rule of law, embroiled in the ongoing VBS fraud and corruption scandal. 

Media reports today detailed how Minister Thembi Simelane, during her tenure as Mayor of Polokwane, took a loan of more than half a million rand from the same company that facilitated R349 million worth of Polokwane municipal investments into the VBS bank.

As the Minister responsible for upholding the integrity of the justice system, she must ensure that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is resourced and able to execute its functions without any interference. 

In this case, the NPA is actively involved in investigating and prosecuting the VBS crimes that have resulted in the looting of the most vulnerable and marginalised South Africans. 

This is without a doubt a massive conflict of interest that extends into her role as a member of the justice and crime prevention cluster in Cabinet. 

The President has no choice but to act in the best of the country and in the interests of an untainted criminal justice process relating to all who are implicated in the VBS crimes. 

Unfortunately that means that Simelane cannot remain the Minister responsible for a justice system that may well have to investigate and prosecute her if the allegations sustain a prima facie case. 

Equally, she cannot remain at the helm if a decision not to prosecute is the ultimate outcome and is to have unimpeachable credibility.

Everyone involved in the looting of VBS Bank must be held accountable regardless of their position, and any possibility of the investigations being compromised must be avoided.

Issued by Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary General, 26 August 2024