The ANC is unlikely to act against party leaders implicated in a leaked affidavit by convicted fraudster Tshifhiwa Matodzi, the former board chair of the now defunct VBS Mutual Bank, insiders say.
Senior party leaders, who asked not to be named as they were not authorised to speak on the matter, said the issue was not on the agenda of the national working committee (NWC) meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
The NWC, which oversees the party’s day-to-day programme, will be meeting for the first time since the re-election of President Cyril Ramaphosa as SA president and the instalment of its parliamentary committee chairs.
Three NWC members, told the Sunday Times that details of how billions were siphoned out of the bank were unlikely to form part of its agenda.
The three argued that while the information hurt the ANC — which has fought under Ramaphosa to shake-off its corrupt image — Matodzi’s legal affidavit was not enough to take action against party leaders who were implicated. Those implicated include the chair of parliament's portfolio committee on Cogta, Zweli Mkhize; Limpopo MEC for social development, Florence Radzilani; and Gauteng MEC for infrastructure development, Jacob Mamabolo.
“An affidavit can be equivalent to a report. Unless it goes to a process where decisions are taken in law — only then can it have an impact. I doubt we can even discuss it at NWC,” one party leader said.
This was in contrast to the statements of minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who said legal action should be taken against those mentioned in Matodzi’s affidavit.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the government of national unity’s first cabinet lekgotla, where policies of the 11 parties are expected to be infused into government work, Ntshavheni said that while the cabinet had not addressed Matodzi’s affidavit, law enforcement agencies continue to work to bring to book everybody who swindled money from people.
“Now you know the scale of the impact and laundering and the disregard of laws but you have not yet quantified the impact of the VBS saga on the ordinary people of Vhembe in particular — the women of the stokvel and the burial societies...
“The aged who had lost their pension funds and though the government had tried to repay, it was not enough. The impact had just been dire so that is the other story that still has to be told.
“To make up for that, we need everybody mentioned to be prosecuted and to serve their time. Justice for the victims of the VBS must be had,” she said.
NWC members, however, said it would be “‘hypocritical” to take action against ANC leaders who had not been charged.
ANC acting spokesperson Zuko Godlimpi said the party had noted concern over statements made by Matodzi in his affidavit.
One NWC member said the ANC’s decision for Zizi Kodwa to be sworn in as an MP would make it “extremely hard” for the party to act against any of its members mentioned in Matodzi’s affidavit.
Kodwa was sworn in as a member of the ANC’s caucus in parliament despite having been arrested on corruption charges.
Another ANC leader said while they knew that some would jump on the opportunity to prosecute those mentioned in the affidavit, including Mkhize, who ran a campaign against Ramaphosa in the Nasrec 2022 elections, Matodzi’s affidavit “does not hold water”.
“It can't be that we take action against people because of word of mouth. I imagine there are some who will be advocating for removals and action but as the officials we are limited. Yes, it is a blemish, yes it taints renewal but society can't just expect us to act when we have nothing to act on. We know that even those in the GNU will protest to the president but we can't entertain madness,” they said.
Matodzi has implicated the ANC and the SACP in addition to ANC mayors and officials previously incriminated.
In his affidavit Matodzi said that in 2016, Mkhize, then ANC treasurer-general, requested R2m from the now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank to pay an ANC supplier — money he claims was paid through a third party.
His connection with Mkhize, he said, began with a meeting he initiated to seek assistance for VBS to access facilities at the Public Investment Corporation (PIC).
Mkhize referred all questions related to the matter to the ANC. The party did not respond. Mkhize has previously denied any wrongdoing.
Matodzi’s affidavit also claims the SACP allegedly asked VBS to pay a R3m conference bill that it owed at the Birchwood Hotel in Kempton Park in July 2017 through its then-Gauteng chair, Mamabolo.
Matodzi said his first contact with the SACP was necessitated by the risk of reputational damage after criticism from the SACP when the bank granted former president Jacob Zuma a home loan. The relationship ended with VBS settling a R3m SACP bill at Mamabolo's request.
The SACP did not respond to questions.
The affidavit also thrust into the spotlight Msiza, Radzilani and former ANCYL Limpopo leader Kabelo Matsepe.
The NPA alleged that Msiza was the central figure between VBS and the municipalities that had illegally invested money in contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
Radzilani, who was Vhembe mayor at the time, is accused of receiving R300,000 for her municipality investing in VBS
According to Matodzi's affidavit, Radzilani wanted to receive “Christmas”, amounting to at least R1.5m.
Msiza told TimesLive that Matodzi's affidavit proved he wasn't the mastermind as previously claimed.
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