South Africa’s justice minister, Thembi Simelane, vehemently denied allegations of corruption on Friday, stemming from a mutual bank scandal that left thousands of retirees financially devastated.
The scandal involved VBS Mutual Bank, which was declared insolvent in 2018 after it became apparent that over 2 billion rand ($112 million) had been misappropriated.
Investigations revealed that the stolen funds were used for luxury purchases, personal gifts, and political donations.
Simelane, who has been accused of receiving a loan from a company implicated in the scandal, insisted that the loan was legitimate and has been repaid.
She also denied any conflict of interest regarding her role as justice minister overseeing the National Prosecuting Authority, which is handling the VBS corruption cases.
Despite her denials, calls for Simelane’s resignation have grown louder, with critics questioning her impartiality given her alleged connection to the scandal.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has pledged to combat corruption, has asked Simelane to provide a formal response to the allegations.
As investigations into the VBS scandal continue, the future of the justice minister remains uncertain, and the South African public anxiously awaits the outcome of this high-profile case.