Johannesburg – Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema said on Thursday he was not close to anyone that has benefitted from VBS Mutual Bank.
Malema was fielding questions from journalists around the party’s alleged role in the looting of VBS on Thursday.
Speaking at the party’s headquarters in Braamfontein, the leader of the red berets defended his relationship with people implicated in the multi-billion rand saga, maintaining that VBS should not have been placed under curatorship, but rescued as it is a black-owned bank.
He said the scandal would lead to the arrest of many: “CFOs, municipal manages, mayors and some politicians in the ANC. I want to tell you now, if there is any municipality that can say, we put money into VBS because Malema said, I will resign all positions of the EFF without any hesitations.”
Meanwhile, the latest suspect to be charged in connection with the VBS scandal has been released on a warning until his next court appearance.
Former CFO at the Merafong Municipality Thys Wienekus has been charged with irregular expenditure under the municipal finance management act for his role in depositing R50 million with the bank.
Wienekus has become the latest accused in the scandal after seven former bank executives and directors were charged last week.
