‘Where’s the crime?’: Dali Mpofu on VBS boss Tshifhiwa Matodzi’s ‘donations’ testimony

Former EFF national chairperson Dali Mpofu contends the red berets have never denied receiving “donations” from looted and defunct VBS Mutual Bank, which left pensioners penniless. 

The party has been in the spotlight and criticised about receiving funds from the bank, but in an interview with Newzroom Afrika Mpofu said the party “never denied” receiving donations from VBS.

Last week former VBS Mutual Bank chairperson Tshifhiwa Matodzi was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Pretoria high court after pleading guilty to 33 counts including corruption, theft, fraud and money laundering, which led to the bank’s collapse. 

In his affidavit, he claimed he made donations to the EFF after meeting leader Julius Malema and his deputy Floyd Shivambu in exchange for positive publicity and to silence their criticism about the bank giving former president Jacob Zuma a loan for Nkandla. A lump sum of R5m followed by R1m monthly “donations” was the price, he claimed. 

This was allegedly funnelled through a company owned by Brian Shivambu, Floyd’s brother.

“Nothing new comes out of that affidavit, nothing at all. If anything that affidavit contains information which absolves the persons you have liberally said have been fingered,” said Mpofu.

“You must separate what he calls a donation, which is what happens to political parties. There is no political party that doesn’t receive donations.” 

Despite the acceptance of donations, Mpofu denied allegations of fraud and corruption tied to the transactions.

“What is being said is that there is corruption. I said, where is the corruption? Where’s the fraud and where’s the money laundering or any crime? We are tired of having to say the same thing about this. Every time someone speaks, it is blown up as if something new has come up,” said Mpofu.

Amid criticism of the party, the EFF shared Malema’s video on social media platform X on Sunday, from four years ago, dismissing the allegations.

“There’s nothing anyone can say that will shake us. There’s nothing the EFF has done illegally. Anyone who wants the VBS money, you are barking at the wrong door,” Malema said.

Last week Shivambu shared his statement from October 13 2018 and said people who tried to link the EFF to VBS were trying to gain “cheap political points”.

“I have no dealings with VBS and any attempt to link the EFF to the bank for cheap political points is a clear sign of desperation, and soon enough people will see through it. Attempts to link the EFF position to business dealings are disingenuous and patently weak.”

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