ANC members implicated in VBS saga must 'step aside'

The ANC's National Integrity Commission has recommended to the National Executive Committee that office bearers and party members implicated in the VBS Mutual Bank saga should be directed to step aside from all leadership positions and activities of the ANC.

“Having considered the matter‚ the National Integrity Commission is of the view that the reputation and credibility of the ANC has been seriously damaged‚” said George Mashamba‚ chairperson of the commission.

“To protect the integrity and reputation of the ANC‚ the National Integrity Commission recommends to the National Executive Committee that these members should be directed to step aside from all leadership positions and all activities of the ANC.”

In a statement issued on Monday‚ the commission reported that its weekend meeting considered the question of office bearers and members of the ANC implicated in the VBS Mutual Bank saga.

The “Great Bank Heist" report into the failure of VBS Mutual Bank implicated 53 people and companies in fraud and corruption worth nearly R2-billion.

That report implicated Florence Radzilani‚ deputy chairperson of the ANC in Limpopo‚ who allegedly invested R300-million from the Vhembe District Municipality in the embattled bank and in turn received bribes.

Provincial treasurer Danny Msiza has also been implicated as a kingpin who played a role in ensuring that municipalities made illegal deposits with the bank.

Both Radzilani and Msiza have denied the allegations.

Despite the members having been advised by the secretary-general’s office to approach the integrity commission‚ Mashamba said “thus far‚ they have not done so.”

The ANC had taken a strong stance against allegations raised in the report and called for accountability without delay.