“We are not moved or shaken.”
These were the words of EFF leader Julius Malema, announcing they stand by their deputy president, Floyd Shivamvu.
The party also said that it has not received any donations from Floyd’s brother, Brian Shivambu.
The EFF gave its side of the story on the VBS saga at a media briefing on Tuesday.
“We have no reason to doubt Floyd. We have full confidence in our Deputy-President and we remain united and unshaken by any and all attempts to slow down or discredit the EFF,” said party leader Julius Malema.
Malema said the EFF has also not been mentioned in the report, neither has it been accused of any wrong doing.
Malema said Shivambu has taken the EFF leadership into confidence in relation to VBS media claims and we have no reason to doubt him, more so because he is not mentioned in the official Motau VBS report.
However, we reject the witch-hunt and mob justice that seeks to declare people guilty through courts of public opinion. The law must take its course and all who are implicated must fully cooperate with law enforcement institutions.
He said the enemies of “our revolution” who wish to see the EFF, which is the only voice of the poor silenced, are seeking to bring both our Deputy-President and the organisation through a back door into the VBS saga.
“Therefore, any pronouncements based on the validity of the report are premature.”
Malema said they have noted that several persons mentioned in the report are challenging the validity and lawfulness of the report on the basis that Advocate Motau did not afford them the right to put their side of the story.
He, however, reiterated that all those who have been found to have benefitted illegally from the bank’s collapse must be criminally prosecuted.
Malema added that VBS Mutual Bank was founded on the deposits of humble rural self-help financial associations like Stockvels and Burial Societies.
“The corruption and maladministration thereof saw many of the villagers unable to even bury their dead.”
At the same briefing, Shivambu said there was no R10 million that “ever came into his account”.
“We never took money from the VBS,” said Floyd.
He called on anyone with such information to go open a case with the police.
