AfriForum to lay corruption charges against Malema, Shivambu
Lobby group AfriForum says it has instructed its lawyers to file charges of corruption, fraud, and money laundering against the EFF leader Julius Malema and his deputy Floyd Shivambu.
The move comes after a leaked affidavit by VBS Mutual Bank’s former chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi detailed how the EFF and its leaders allegedly benefitted from the now-defunct bank.
In the affidavit, Tshifhiwa Matodzi detailed how he met EFF leaders Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu at a penthouse in Sandton in 2017 to discuss the payments.
"AfriForum also requested Advocate Gerrie Nel and his team at AfriForum’s Private Prosecutions Unit to monitor the case and to put pressure on the prosecution process should it appear that the National Prosecuting Authority is dragging its feet,” AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said on Friday.
"Should the state fail to prosecute Malema and Shivambu, AfriForum will consider private prosecution as an alternative,” says Kriel.
Kriel believes Matodzi’s statement provides sufficient grounds for the NPA to obtain a preservation order on Malema and Shivambu’s assets.
“The state’s failure to prosecute Malema for his part in the On Point Engineering corruption case has apparently given him the impression that he is untouchable and that he can simply continue with his involvement in alleged corrupt activities.
"That is why it is important that Malema and Shivambu are prosecuted for the plundering of VBS, to send a very clear message that nobody is above the law,” Kriel added.
The EFF has yet to comment on the allegations.
However, party leader Julius Malema broke his silence in a post on X that stated that all media inquiries should refer to archives.
Previously, the red berets have denied any involvement in the looting of the VBS bank.
READ MORE
