ActionSA is set to file criminal charges against the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Thembi Simelane, at Polokwane police station on Tuesday.
The charges stem from allegations of violation of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Activities Act.
They relate to a controversial R575 600 loan Simelane solicited from a service provider. This was during her tenure as Polokwane mayor in 2016.
She allegedly borrowed money from the municipality’s service provider, Gundo Wealth Solutions, to purchase a coffee shop in Sandton.
After the news broke recently, Simelane revealed that the coffee shop was longer under her name.
Matthew George, ActionSA parliamentary media officer, said the loan has raised significant concerns, particularly as Gundo Wealth Solutions is implicated in the unlawful investment of R349-million of Polokwane municipality’s funds into the now-collapsed VBS Mutual Bank.
He said ActionSA MP Malebo Kobe and the party’s Limpopo provincial chairperson, Victor Mothemela, will head to the Polokwane police station to file the charges.
Commitment to accountability
This, according to him, was also motivated by recent revelations that the loan agreement may have been backdated, potentially to obscure the details of the transaction.
Mothemela argued that these new findings warrant a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
He noted that the move reflects ActionSA’s commitment to accountability and transparency in government, as the party aims to address corruption and misconduct within public offices.
The outcome of this filing could have significant implications for Simelane’s political future and the broader fight against corruption.
Sunday World previously reported that Athol Trollip, ActionSA’s parliamentary leader, threatened legal action against Simelane.
This followed the failure of public protector Kholeka Gcaleka to respond to his letter, which requested an independent investigation into Simelane’s possible involvement in the VBS Mutual Bank heist.
