Simelane ‘loan’ debacle piles pressure on Ramaphosa – Justice minister’s explanation ‘not convincing’, say NGOs

Sunday Times |By Sabelo Skiti and Kgothatso Madisa

Pressure is mounting on President Cyril Ramaphosa to act against minister of justice & constitutional development Thembi Simelane, after she admitted to soliciting a loan from a company that facilitated payments from the Polokwane municipality to the now defunct VBS Mutual Bank.

Simelane appeared before the parliamentary portfolio committee on justice on Friday, where she was grilled about her alleged involvement in the VBS scandal. It seems her explanation to the committee was not convincing enough to make the matter go away, and political parties including GNU partners such as the Democratic Alliance (DA) and lobby groups are repeating their calls on her to step aside while the allegations are investigated. The EFF called for her resignation.