Time’s up: How much more ‘time and space’ does Ramaphosa need to act against corruption-accused Justice Miniter?

7 October 2024

ActionSA is alarmed by the glaring absence of accountability from President Ramaphosa, who nearly a month ago on the 11th of September, acknowledged receiving a report from the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Thembi Simelane, regarding her alleged role in the VBS Mutual Bank looting scandal.

Some 26 days later, despite the seriousness of these accusations and new revelations of alleged forgery emerging, no meaningful action has been taken. It is now fitting to raise serious concerns about whether the President's commitments to upholding the “highest levels of ethical integrity within the national executive”, are merely empty rhetoric, as his inaction suggests, or if he genuinely intends to enforce the requisite ethical integrity in his cabinet.

Exactly 42 days ago, ActionSA first wrote to the President on the 26th of August, bringing this matter to his attention with the hope that he would act swiftly to hold the Minister of Justice accountable. Sadly, after further correspondence on 18 September, the President, who claimed to be processing the report and said that he “needed time and space” to process the Misters response whilst he was away in China, has done nothing and gone mute, while the integrity of our justice system hangs in the balance, with the Minister continuing as business as usual under a heavy cloud of serious allegations of corruption.

With reports now suggesting that the President may have first been briefed by the Minister about her dodgy VBS links as far back as 2021, three years ago, ActionSA is increasingly sceptical of any genuine intention on the part of the President to hold Minister Simelane, who is the head of our justice system, accountable.

In any democracy where the rule of law and ethical governance are regarded as obligatory rather than merely suggestive, Minister Simelane would undoubtedly have already been held accountable. Regrettably, ActionSA remains deeply concerned that the desire to firmly entrench a culture of ethics and accountability continues to elude South Africa's political landscape under the leadership of the ANC.

ActionSA, committed to challenging this regrettable status quo, will prepare to pursue an amendment to the Constitution to establish an Independent Chapter 9 Anti-Corruption Agency that specialises in combating corruption and, importantly, is granted security of tenure to allow it to act without fear, favour or prejudice.

Issued by Athol Trollip, Parliamentary Leader, ActionSA, 8 October 2024