Julius Malema, EFF leader, vehemently denies that he has benefited from any money from VBS Mutual Bank.
The bank was previously declared insolvent after large-scale fraud and theft took place there.
Malema said this on Thursday to five journalists who interviewed him openly at the EFF’s headquarters in Johannesburg. The questions dealt with the VBS saga and other scandals in the past with which he could be linked.
“There was no donation from VBS and your advocate, Pauli (Pauli van Wyk, investigative journalist at Daily Maverick) would have actually revealed such a donation by now because she is working with a fellow Werksmans attorneys, who work with the liquidators working together. This is where she gets her information, ”Malema said.
“If there was any donation to the EFF, Pauli would have exposed it.”
Malema denied that he had either received money from the bank in the midst of growing media reports asking questions about his and the EFF’s connection with the bank.
The investigation into the theft at the bank was led by Adv. Terry Motau, who found that nearly R2 billion was looted from the bank with the help of top management. The report on this called “The Great Bank Heist” was issued in October 2018.
Politicians of the ANC and EFF have been accused of taking advantage of this looting.
The National Prosecuting Authority and Hawks have recently arrested people, including former top executives of the bank, in connection with the theft.
The case was postponed to October after the accused appeared in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court last week.
