Cyril Ramaphosa Under Pressure To Act Against Justice Minister Thembi Simelane

• President Cyril Ramaphosa has asked to be given a little extra time to make a decision on Minister of Justice Thembi Simelane
• Reports recently surfaced that Ramaphosa may have been aware of Simelane's alleged involvement in the VBS Mutual Bank looting
• His Government of National Unity partners have been putting pressure on him to act and break his silence

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, the State of the Nation Address, politician-related news and elections at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.

JOHANNESBURG—President Cyril Ramaphosa has asked for some time before making a decision on Justice Minister Thembi Simelane's alleged involvement in the VBS Mutual Bank saga.

Ramaphosa hasn't spoken yet

TimesLIVE reported that Ramaphosa is under pressure from the Democratic Alliance to speak up after allegations that Simelane benefitted from VBS Mutual Bank during her tenure as Polokwane's mayor. Simelane reportedly received a R586,000 loan through a third-party financial services provider that she used to buy a restaurant.

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A recent media report claimed that Simelane had taken him into her confidence after her appointment as the Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance three years ago. The DA demanded to know why Ramaphosa did not act if it was true that he was aware of her alleged VBS loan.

What you need to know about Simelane's VBS Mutual Bank involvement

• The Economic Freedom Fighters called for Simelane's resignation after the allegations that she benefitted from VBS Mutual Bank surfaced
• ActionSA also called for her to resign from her post amid concern that she might exert her influence over the National Prosecuting authority unduly
• ActionSA celebrated after it laid charges against her for her involvement in the VBS Mutual Bank saga

South Africans roast Ramaphosa

Netizens on Facebook joked that Ramaphosa would take time to make a decision about Simelane.

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Rodney Matthews said:

"CR always has to apply his mind. Two to three weeks is not long enough for him. Don't hold your breath."

Ferdi Thomson said:

"In the past, it was easy to let the corrupt go. Now Ramaphosa needs to consider the GNU, in particular the DA."

Spokes Mashiyane said:

"Dragging his feet as usual on thugs in his administration."

Ofentse Fefe Sekati said:

"Ramaphosa is an embarrassment of note."

Simelane appeared before ANC's integrity commission

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Simelane was called to appear before the African National Congress's Integrity Commission.

This was after allegations that she received a loan from VBS Mutual through a financial lender surfaced.

Source: Briefly News