ActionSA Calls on Justice Minister to Resign Following Conflict of Interest in VBS Scandal
- ActionSA are concerned about Thembi Simelane's conflict of interest as Justice minister and her links to the VBS saga
- Simelane received a loan from Gundo Wealth Solutions, a company that helped broker unlawful investments for VBS
- ActionSA parliamentary leader Arthur Trollip raised a lot of red flags over Simelane's response to the scandal
ActionSA are the latest political party to call for Thembi Simelane to step down as the Justice Minister due to a conflict of interest.
Simelane, who also oversees the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) as part of her duties as minister, has been criticized for her ties to the VBS saga.
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The NPA are currently conducting an investigation into the VBS matter.
ActionSA concerned about Simelane’s influence
In an official statement calling for her resignation, ActionSA expressed concern about her influence over the NPA and asked for an independent investigation.
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Parliamentary leader Arthur Trollip also called on Simelane to resign or be suspended.
Trollip said the decision came after Simelane failed to allay parliament members' fears that she was not guilty of wrongdoing in the VBS matter.
Why Simelane is in hot water
The minister is at the centre of controversy for a loan she received from Gundo Wealth Solutions. The company, owned by Ralliom Razwinane, helped broker numerous unlawful investments into VBS.
One of those investments was from Polokwane Municipality, where Simelane was mayor at the time.
Razwinane also received a significant kickback from the bank for his brokering investments.
Simelane has maintained that the loan she received was from Gundo Wealth Solutions, and not from VBS.
She also tried to convince parliament that just because she oversaw the NPA, she had no say in what it investigated.
EFF demand Simelane step down
ActionSA isn’t the only party that feels Simelane should step down from her post over the scandal.
Briefly News reported that the Economic Freedom Fighters also called for her to resign as minister.
They made the appeal after it was discovered that she benefitted from VBS Mutual Bank through another company.
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Source: Briefly News
