In a shocking turn of events, the EFF, creators of the national slogan “Pay back the money”, may itself have to do so.
Brian Shivambu, brother of EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu, was found this week to have received R16.1m from the looted VBS Mutual Bank.
Brian Shivambu has threatened to sue advocate Terry Motau SC, author of the VBS Mutual Bank forensic report.
Brian has admitted he did give money to Floyd, as he was committed to supporting his brother wherever possible.
Brian‚ who was accused in the report, along with more than 50 others, of looting the bank, said his name had been unfairly dragged through the mud.
In a statement on Thursday‚ he said: “I intend to legally pursue the owners of the VBS report for defamation of my character and that of my company, as well as for the strain [it] has caused to my family.”
Brian said the monies paid to his company Sgameka Projects, were payments for services rendered to Vele Investments.
Brian said: “My company‚ Sgameka Projects‚ was appointed to provide professional consulting services to Vele Investments in 2017.
“My company did not have any business relationship‚ nor did it receive money from VBS Mutual Bank.
“Vele Investments told me that since they bank with VBS, our company and myself as its director should open a bank account with VBS Mutual Bank for ease of payments. Receiving money through a VBS account does not mean that VBS paid me money.
"My brother Floyd is the deputy president of the EFF and not the owner of my businesses.
“I committed to him that I will give him support‚ which I have done where possible.” Brian said he was willing to cooperate with any investigations‚ but would seek to clear his name.
In his initial media statement‚ he said: “I previously worked for the EFF Students’ Command as an administrator after I had been a volunteer at the head office since 2013. I left the employment of the EFF in June 2017 to focus on my business interests.”
He has since sent out a second statement in which this paragraph has been removed.
EFF Eastern Cape provincial convener, Yazini Tetyana, said: “The national office [has] communicated on the issue, please refer to that statement.”
The report recommends that more than 50 individuals be criminally charged and held liable in civil proceedings.
On Wednesday, the EFF released a statement saying that “the law-enforcement agency must do all they can to ensure that all the money that can be recovered must be paid back in full, including attaching properties of individuals who benefited”...