Former Department of Mineral Resources Deputy Director General and 2 Others Arrested for Looting R100m Funds
- A former Department of Mineral Resources Deputy Director-General and two others said to be Gupta linked were arrested
- The trio allegedly looted over R100million that was meant to be used to rehabilitate an Optimum coal mine
- They appeared in the Randburg Magistrates Court on charges of fraud, corruption, and money laundering
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JOHANNESBURG - The former Department of Mineral Resources Deputy Director-General and two others who are said to be Gupta linked from the mining sector were arrested allegedly for fraud.
The trio allegedly looted over R100million and appeared in the Randburg Magistrates Court.
Source: Getty Images
The money they are accused of stealing was meant to be used to rehabilitate the Optimum coal mine in Mpumalanga, TimesLIVE reported.
Former minister Joel Raphela, former Tegeta Exploration and Resources Director Ronica Ragavan and Optimum Coal Mine former trustee Pushpaveni Govender made their court appearance on Wednesday 25 May, according to a journalist from SABC News who first broke the story.
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Six suspects were arrested for fraud, corruption, and money laundering related to the VBS investigation according to eNCA.
SA reacts
Social media users are outraged following the arrests with some saying they have become accustomed to corruption:
Nomusa Faith Dlamini-Mnyathe said:
“Let's hope they will pay a serve punishment for that and let's hope they won't just get released without consequences, don't just arrest and release, arrest and jail them too, otherwise, fraud will continue.”
Lucky Selogiloe wrote:
“Such news no longer surprises us, ANC is the reason why we suffer in 2022. Useless party, soon Mr Ibu will be calling a so-called family meeting just to show us how our taxpayers money is growing his big nose.”
Sthembele Ntwana Hlakwani posted:
“They must pay back all the money they stole from the government.”
Lucky KwezeNdlamlenze VL Dube commented:
“No one is cleaning up there. Everyone must be arrested.”
Eric T Chauke added:
“I will be happy only if they arrest those still in their portfolios and without bail conditions, of course, am just dreaming, it won't happen under this leadership.”
Former President Thabo Mbeki slams members of ANC, says the public views them as “liars and thieves”
In a related matter, Briefly News also reported former president Thabo Mbeki criticised some members of the African National Congress and said citizens characterise the ruling party as made up of liars and thieves. He said the conclusion is justified because members make promises during manifestos and don’t fulfil them.
Mbeki was speaking at the ANC Youth League national youth task team political school on Sunday 22 May in Midrand when he made the comments. The theme for the event is “Rebuild, renew, revive, reimagine and reposition the ANCYL towards economic freedom in our lifetime, now or never”.
During his address, the former president said when members campaign door to door at townships, residents say "afikile amasela" ("the thieves have arrived") and said it should concern members of the party. Mbeki said if there is corruption in Government, ANC members are associated with it, TimesLIVE reported.
Source: Briefly News
