Criminal Charges to Be Laid Against Thembi Simelane

Dear Editor

The Democratic Alliance will be laying criminal charges against Thembi Simelane after allegations have emerged of her involvement in yet another corruption scandal, this time involving Eskom and her previous employer, Vitrovian.

In addition the DA will write to the National Prosecuting Authority to determine what progress has been made on the investigation and prosecution of Simelane in relation to the VBS looting scandal.

We further reiterate our call for Simelane to be removed from the Cabinet by the President, as a most basic step.

In a shocking report, it has come to light that Simelane earned more than R700k while she was working for Vitrovian to crush protests at the Kusile power plant. Vitrovian’s charges were outrageously inflated, and the utility billed Eskom for work done by employees that did not exist. Simelane’s signature appears on the very first of these inflated invoices.

This allegation follows hot on the heels of reports that implicated Simelane in the VBS looting scandal.

The President has made it clear that he intends on protecting corrupt ANC members in his cabinet, paying lip service to tackling corruption. This was confirmed recently by the Presidency in their rejection of the DA’s PAIA appeal to make public the report submitted by Simelane to the President on her involvement in the VBS looting scandal. The refusal once again relied on scant justification, incorrect law, and a failure to consider the public interest in the matter.

The DA is astonished by the President’s continued insistence on hiding what he knows about Simelane’s corrupt dealings from the public. The DA refuses to give up in its fight against the ANC’s protection of corrupt officials and will do everything in its power to end the culture of criminality which permeates ANC structures right to the very top.

In this regard, the President has left the DA with no other option but to lay criminal charges and write to the National Prosecuting Authority to determine the progress of their investigation. The DA applauds the journalists who continue to investigate corrupt officials, while state structures fail at the basics.

Regards

Adv. Glynnis Breytenbach MP
DA Spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development