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ANC pair reinstate themselves after suspension

Two senior ANC officials in Limpopo - deputy provincial chairperson Florence Radzilani and provincial treasurer Danny Msiza - have reinstated themselves after they were forced to step aside by the ruling party's national working committee over the VBS scandal.

The party had adopted its integrity committee's report which recommended that both officials step aside after they were implicated in the VBS Mutual Bank's collapse.

This was after Advocate Terry Motau released a report titled "The Great Bank Heist" which detailed how R1.8bn was brazenly stolen from the mutual bank.

But now both Msiza and Radzilani have written letters to ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, stating their intention to return to their positions five months after they were forced out.

In his letter to Magashule, Msiza said it's a matter of public knowledge that he took Motau's report on review.

He said in the past five months he hadn't received any communication from either the integrity commission or the ANC leadership.

"I equally have not been lawfully charged in any court of law nor has the disciplinary committee of the ANC preferred charges against me," Msiza wrote.

"Accordingly, in line with the democratic mandate and responsibility bestowed on me by the membership of the ANC in Limpopo at our 9th provincial conference, I will resume my solemn and constitutional responsibilities as provincial treasurer on 1st May 2019.

"It's my conviction that I have exercised maximum discipline and respect for the leadership by stepping aside for five months."

Radzilani, who also resigned as mayor of Vembe district municipality, claimed that no due process was followed by the integrity commission to ask her to step aside.

She said allegations levelled against her on the VBS scandal were baseless.

"Consequently, I have lodged legal suit with the high court for reputational damage and extreme pain I have suffered as a result of advocate Terry Modau's unlawful conduct."

However, ANC provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane said the party would never allow anybody to undermine its NWC (national working committee) and therefore remained unfazed by the conduct of Msiza and Radzilani.

He urged the duo not to undermine the decorum of the ruling party.

"The NWC took a decision that the comrades must step aside from any activity of the ANC. Nobody can give the NWC an ultimatum and undermine the decorum of the ANC. Ours is a new dawn of unity within the organisation and nothing else," Lekganyane said.

ANC spokesperson Dakota Lekgoete also called on the pair to allow the ANC internal processes to be completed.

Lekgoete also questioned the timing of the action by Radzilani and Msiza as the ruling party prepared for elections.

"They cannot hold the ANC to ransom. Nobody will deal with their matter now. The ANC officials, NWC and NEC [national executive committee] are currently busy with election programmes, therefore this matter will not be dealt with now."

Chairperson of the ANC's integrity commission George Mashamba referred questions to the NWC for comment on the matter.

Msiza allegedly used his political influence to convince mayors and municipal officials from at least 10 Limpopo municipalities to invest hundreds of millions of rands in the now collapsed bank.

Radzilani is alleged to have received R300,000 in exchange for Vhembe district municipality investing about R300m in the VBS Bank that has been liquidated.

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