https://www.news24.com/citypress/politics
According to a senior ANC government source, President Cyril Ramaphosa could not dismiss Thembi Simelane as a minister because the party's "step-aside" rule could only take effect once official criminal charges had been brought against her.
The source claimed:
There are also allegations in the public domain against Deputy President Paul Mashatile and [Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister] David Mahlobo, so removing Simelane would be unfair. We must wait for the step-aside rule to come into effect.
The ANC's step-aside rule stipulates that members charged with a crime must step down from all party activities.
Simelane was moved this past week from the portfolio of justice to the portfolio of human settlements, water and sanitation.
READ | Ramaphosa faces backlash due to 'cowardly' redeployment of Simelane, amid corruption allegations
This was done on the same day that investigative journalists from the Daily Maverick and News24 made further explosive revelations about her. She is accused of having received a loan of R575 000 from Gundo Wealth Solutions while she was still the mayor of Polokwane and of using the money to buy a coffee shop in Sandton.
This week, Daily Maverick and News24 reported that she had spent about 569% more money than she had earned during her tenure as Polokwane's mayor.
In the first of three reports, the publications revealed that Simelane had spent a total of R2.89 million between 2018 and 2019, while her declared income for the same period had been only R509 220.
During this period, she had taken her family on vacation to Disney World in Florida, US, and paid cash for a Mercedes-Benz Viano bus valued at R1.18 million and registered it in her mother's name. She had also purchased several other luxury items, including Louis Vuitton and Gucci handbags worth more than R200 000 from Luxity.
The second report revealed that Simelane had used the bank accounts of her businesses - including her coffee shop in Sandton - to finance her lifestyle.
However, the coffee shop's income had not matched the amount of money deposited into its business account. For example, at the beginning of 2018, it had had about R2.82 million in its account, although it was clear that the coffee shop was actually operating at a loss.
The third report revealed that Simelane had spent about R857 000 between 2019 and 2020, despite her declared income totalling R515 000. She had failed to respond to questions sent to her by the publications and had accused them of conducting an unauthorised lifestyle audit on her.
However, in September, when these allegations had been made public, she had stated that she would welcome a lifestyle audit.
According to a government source of City Press' sister publication Rapport, these reports had made it clear that Simelane could not remain the justice minister, as that would create a conflict of interests if the National Prosecuting Authority decided to prosecute her.
However, there is still no indication that an investigation of her finances has begun.
READ | ANC 'bets' its future on 'renewal' and a political foundation course for all members
Simelane, who was in The Hague in the Netherlands this week, representing South Africa at a meeting of countries that are members of the International Court of Justice, previously said that she had appeared before the ANC's integrity commission and had also told Ramaphosa about the loan from Gundo Wealth Solutions when he had first appointed her to Cabinet. She returned to South Africa yesterday.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula confirmed at a press conference on Friday that the integrity commission was investigating the matter, but that the party would be guided by its step-aside rule with regard to Simelane's deployment.
Ramaphosa replaced Simelane as justice minister with Mmamoloko Kubayi, who is regularly entrusted by the president with acting in portfolios of ministers who have been removed from their posts due to controversy.
Kubayi, for example, acted as health minister during the Covid-19 pandemic when Zweli Mkhize resigned due to the Digital Vibes scandal in which his family was accused of benefiting from government tenders awarded by the health department.
