EFF leader Julius Malema says it is not the duty of the EFF’s national leadership to probe allegations linking Brian Shivambu, the brother of his deputy, Floyd Shivambu, to the VBS Mutual Bank looting amounting to R2 billion.
Malema was addressing a group of handpicked journalists to thrash out issues pertaining to controversies linking the party to the VBS scandal in which some of the party’s national leaders have been accused of unduly benefiting from funds looted from the bank.
Brian Shivambu, the younger brother of EFF's deputy president Floyd Shivambu, is one of those accused of having benefited from the looting of the bank, with claims that Floyd had received payments through a company owned by Brian.
“I’m not being investigated by the Hawks on anything, I’m not being investigated by Sars on anything. Not a single Hawks person ever gave me a call, for anything. Nothing,” Malema said.
He added that Shivambu had also not been asked by any law enforcement agencies to make any statements.
Malema said Brian Shivambu had been in constant interaction with the liquidators of VBS as they have called on several occasions to clarify various issues, including a bond that the Shivambu brothers got for their mother through the bank.
“This is a bond that many other people, including some in the Hawks, got from VBS. They clarified those issues and they’ve started paying off the bond.
"From time to time, Floyd’s brother gets called by liquidators who are liquidating Vele (Financial Services Group which VBS Mutual Bank fell under) as one of the people who had dealings with Vele.
“He (Brian Shivambu) is co-operating, that’s what Floyd tells me, and they’re working very well to resolve whatever the differences that they might have,” Malema said.
He added that not a single Shivambu brother had ever been called by a liquidator, the Hawks or any other law enforcement authorities.
Although Brian Shivambu is a member of the EFF, Malema said that they do investigate ordinary members of the party.
“If a branch of the EFF wants to investigate a member, they can do it,” Malema said.