Former National Treasury director general Dondo Mogajane denies allegations implicating him in the VBS Mutual Bank looting.
Mogajane, in a media statement released on Friday, insists that he was part of the government team that ensured that VBS Bank was outed for its corruption and looting as they filed all relevant documents with the rightful authorities.
“I categorically deny that I have ever received corrupt monies or bribes,” said Mogajane.
He explained that it was around 2017 and 2018 when they learnt that VBS was a scam. This was after several engagements with the bank.
Response to leaked affidavit by jailed ex-VBS boss
“To be very clear, in my position as then Director-General of National Treasury, I was the one of the people who stopped Matodzi in his tracks. And we prevented VBS from pilfering South Africa any further,” said Mogajane.
This was in response to the leaked affidavit that former VBS chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi made. In it he revealed his associates in the looting frenzy that saw the bank go bust.
Matodzi alleged that he had met with Mogajane on several occasions. The first occasion was where they confirmed the R1-million payment for the then DG.
With this bribe money, Mogajane was meant to ensure that the National Treasury does not nag municipalities to withdraw their investments into the bank, said Matodzi.
“I categorically deny that I have ever received corrupt monies or bribes. [At the National Treasury], I proudly served with distinction, honesty, loyalty, and humility. I did so as a dedicated public servant for 23 years. The last five of which were as a Director-General of National Treasury,” said Mogajane.
Denies bribery claims, says he initiated probe into VBS Bank
He claimed that his record was clean in his conduct as a member of the national treasury.
Mogajane said he would not allow his name to be dragged through the mud for people who are pushing their own agendas.
He confirmed that he has met with the VBS chairperson on several occasions. But he claimed that these meetings were to discuss the structuring of the bank. They discussed how VBS Bank would be established into a bank instead of a mutual bank.
He said the leaked affidavits exclude the meetings that were held in presence of other people. These include VBS management and the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) as a VBS shareholder. Also the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), and other National Treasury representatives.
Stopped the rogue dealings at the bank
“As can be evidenced by minutes of these meetings, we made it very clear that legally, VBS Mutual Bank was not allowed to continue conducting investment deals or receiving deposits from municipalities.
“In fact, my colleagues and I became so alarmed by the actions of VBS Bank that I filed an answering affidavit against it in November 2017. Therein I confirmed National Treasury’s stance against the intentions of VBS in continuing to take municipal deposits. Later, I made another statement with the Hawks. This was in support of their investigation into the bank,” said Mogajane.
