Da Says Ramaphosa Is 'allowing Impunity' As It Lays Graft Charges Against Thembi Simelane

The Democratic Aliance DA has laid corruption charges against the Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane in relation to a recent News24 article .

The article alleged that an Eskom contractor, Vitrovian, inflated costs and billed ghost workers in 2011, around the same time it allegedly paid Simelane R700,000.

In a media statement , the Minister said she was a Vitrovian project director for seven months in 2011 and was remunerated for the work she performed for the period.

She denied being responsible for Vitrovians contractual obligations. It is malicious for News24 to paint a picture that I might have been involved in any alleged activities or operations of price inflations as a mere employee of the company, Simelane added.

I hasten to correct the misconception that the position of project director would have in anyway allowed me to enjoy intimate knowledge of the company's financial transactions with Eskom or any client of the company, this assertion is simply false and is bordering on gutter journalism."

However, the DAs spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development, Adv. Glynnis Breytenbach, opened charges against the Minister at the Cape Town police station on Wednesday 16 April.

She claimed Simelane's signature appears on the very first of Vitrovians invoices to Eskom, directly implicating her in the scandal.

This is in addition to Simelane's alleged involvement and subsequent implication in the looting of VBS Bank, Breytenbach claimed.

The President Cyril Ramaphosa has repeatedly refused to disclose the content of Simelane's report to him on these allegations, despite several requests by the DA that he does so.

Last year, Daily Maverick report alleged that Simelane received a R575,600 loan from VBS corruption-accused fixer Ralliom Razwinane in 2016. She denied wrongdoing.