AfriForum to lay corruption, fraud charges against EFF leaders

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Lobby group AfriForum is preparing to lay charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering against Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leaders Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu.

This follows allegations made by former VBS Mutual Bank chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi, who implicated the pair and some African National Congress (ANC) leaders in the collapse of the bank as part of his plea deal.

Matodzi pleaded guilty to 33 charges, including corruption, theft, and money laundering and was sentenced to 15 years in jail.

According to Matodzi’s 263-page affidavit, the Economic Freedom Fighters allegedly received donations totaling around R16 million. He stated that the party received monthly donations and millions of rand in a so-called business loan from VBS since 2017 through a company called Sgameka Projects.

AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel says, “We have instructed our legal team to look at the facts and to make sure that we draw up this case that will be lodged with the police as soon as it has been drawn up. AfriForum is a watchdog organisation, so firstly, I think it’s important that we have equality before the law, but also secondly, that the rights be protected of those victims of crime—in this specific case, it’s the clients of the VBS Bank, which are mostly poor people.”

PODCAST | AfriForum prepares to lay charges against EFF leaders

The EFF says the affidavit is unfounded and misleading. EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys says their party is being harassed.

“Look, there is no change to our statement on VBS. So if you want a response, go to your archives. But how about you also allocate the same energy and double your energy on Cyril Ramaphosa for money that was hidden in his sofas at his Phala-Phala farm? This obsession of forcing EFF into VBS corruption is just plain down harassment now,” Mathys stated.

ANC members Florence Radzilani and Danny Msiza are also implicated in the affidavit for allegedly receiving funds irregularly from the now-defunct bank.

Hawks Head Godfrey Lebeya says, “So far we have arrested 33 individuals whose cases are pending before various courts in the country. And over and above, we said there are still another 43 that we are working on.”

VIDEO | ANC responds to Matodzi affidavit implicating Florence Radzilani and Danny Msiza:

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) strongly condemns the unlawful leaking of an affidavit in the VBS case pic.twitter.com/LXl6HZuNrg

— NPASouthAfrica (@NPA_Prosecutes) July 12, 2024

JUST IN:
Explosive evidence by Tshifhiwa Matodzi in an affidavit he signed directly implicates the EFF’s Floyd Shivambu and Julius Malema in the VBS corruption scandal. This is the first time direct evidence has surfaced about the scandal. pic.twitter.com/blOZzR4ZTA

— Ismail Abramjee (@IsmailAbramjee) July 11, 2024