'Heads will roll' over VBS scandal‚ vows Fikile Mbalula

The ANC in Limpopo has started taking action against party officials implicated in the looting of almost R2bn from VBS Mutual Bank‚ party spokesperson Pule Mabe said on Thursday.

Mabe reiterated the party’s position that all those implicated must “face the law without discrimination”.

ANC elections head Fikile Mbalula said in the past the ANC took a long time before dealing with corruption but the party was determined to act decisively against those implicated in the VBS report.

“Heads will roll‚ the ANC never sent anyone to be corrupt‚ they must answer for themselves unless they say they were sent by the ANC‚” said Mbalula.

ANC Limpopo treasurer Danny Msiza and deputy chairperson Florence Radzilani are some of the party leaders mentioned in the forensic report detailing how millions were siphoned from the bank.

Mbalula was speaking at a media briefing where the party unveiled plans to consult the public on the process of developing its 2019 elections manifesto.

He said the ANC’s experience in government had taught them hard lessons about lawlessness and corruption.

“The reality of corruption and poor service delivery in some municipalities‚ departments of state and state-owned enterprises has weakened service delivery," Mbalula said

“We are under no illusion‚ leadership and public trust must be earned through conduct‚ listening‚ responding and hard work.” 

The ANC will this weekend embark on a round of consultations in all nine provinces to engage with South Africans in the development of the manifesto.

“We would be the first to admit that the ANC found itself mired by sins of incumbency‚ social distance from its social base‚ at times perceived as arrogant and not always responsive to the challenges confronting our people‚” Mbalula said.