Malema Maintains Innocence Regarding VBS Looting

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema on Thursday maintained his innocence, insisting that neither he nor his party benefitted from the looting of the now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank.

Speaking with a select group of journalists in Johannesburg, Malema said that he was not aware of any of his associates splurging on him using VBS money.

Several publications have reported various allegations over the years linking Malema and his party leaders to what transpired at VBS bank, which led to investors losing out on their savings.

However, the EFF leader said that he wanted to use the opportunity with the journalists to put it on record that he was not involved in VBS matters.

“I want to tell you now that if there is any municipality that can say we put money into VBS because ‘Malema said we must do that’, I will resign all the positions of the EFF without hesitation,” Malema said. “I’m not being investigated by the Hawks on anything. I’m not being investigated by Sars on anything.”

Malema, however, said it was always inevitable that the EFF would be linked with the bank, or another scandal, as this was his detractors’ motives.

He claimed he was being discredited for speaking out against corruption.

“The intention has always been very clear from the beginning. Others were mentioned as companies [VBS bank report], but Sgamega with the name of Shivambu – so that there can be a link and to delegitimise the voice of the EFF in the battle against corruption,” Malema said.

EWN