Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Thembi Simelane, has rubbished claims that she denied the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Investigative Directorate (ID) access to data concerning the Zondo Commission relating to the looting of VBS Bank.
Reports indicate that the NPA’s ID, lost access to critical evidence from the database, which is required for prosecuting high profile State Capture cases.
During her meeting with the portfolio committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, on September 10, Simelane refuted claims of obstructing access to critical State Capture data.
Simelane said she had only been in office for a few months, and held ‘meet and greet’ engagement sessions with the department’s entities.
She said she had met with the National Director of Director Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi, during the session to follow up on other important issues.
“I have met with the National Director of Public Prosecution after being entrusted with the responsibility as the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development to take the NPA into confidence that I am going to give the authority and other law enforcement agencies my support on any matter.”
She said she views the portfolio meeting as “a bit unfortunate”, saying that it was only two weeks after she met with the NPA.
“In my view, the whole sitting is a bit unfortunate. At least at a time in which it occurred. Chair, I am saying that it is a bit unfortunate precisely because it was only two weeks after I met with NPA, that’s when the first article came out.”
Simelane added: “Already (people) are making damning findings on the department and my leadership.”
Meanwhile, Batohi said she was not trying to paint a picture that Simelane and the NPA are on the opposite side, but the information stems from the recent press conference in which she was asked a question regarding the issue.
“In fact, we were asked at a media briefing by the NPA about where you have (referring to Simelane) the access that you need to the information in the Zondo Commission.”
Batohi told the portfolio committee that the NPA has been working on accessing the data for about four years now.
She further expressed that she is grateful that the meeting would have a sense of urgency, as the NPA is experiencing pressure in prosecuting the State Capture cases.
Simelane came into the spotlight following reports that she received a loan of R575,600 from Gundo Wealth Solutions in 2016, when she was still the mayor of Polokwane Municipality.
Simelane, who served as mayor for the municipality between 2014 and 2021, until she was appointed as justice minister in June this year, took the loan to purchase a coffee shop in Sandton.
The company, which is owned by Rallion Razwinane, was directly linked to the unlawful investments of municipal funds into the now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank during her time as mayor.
Razwinane, the company's owner, is currently on trial for fraud, corruption, and money laundering for his role as a commission agent linking municipalities, including Polokwane Municipality, with the VBS.
Meanwhile, political parties including, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Congress of the People (COPE) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have since demanded the urgent removal of Simelane amid the scandal.
IOL Politics