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Mukurukuru Media Limpopo

Fear rules in affected communities as prosecutors zoom in on suspected VBS killings

Fear rules in affected communities as prosecutors zoom in on suspected VBS killings
VBS Mutual Bank looting suspects appear at Johannesburg's Palm Ridge Regional Court on 47 counts of fraud, racketeering, corruption, theft and money laundering on 18 June 2020. (Photo: Gallo Images / OJ Koloti)

The arrest of the suspected VBS bank looters has brought hope to communities, but victims remain fearful as old wounds fester.

A trail of blood has left at least three people dead in what is believed to be hits linked to the VBS Mutual Bank looting scandal. Last week’s arrest of eight suspected looters has increased the fear factor which continues to stalk those affected by the collapse of the bank.

Three suspects are facing charges for the killing of a Limpopo ANC councillor and two SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) leaders in the province for crimes believed to be aimed at silencing their calls for justice in the matter.

Last week eight suspects arrested in connection with looting the bank, leading to its collapse, were granted bail of R100,000 each in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court in Gauteng. But elsewhere the wheels of justice are ready to start turning in matters related to the three murders.

Thabang Maupa, an ANC Ward 5 councillor in the Fetakgomo Tubatse local municipality, was shot and killed outside his business in Tubatse in November 2018. Maupa’s murder was linked to his call for action against those implicated in the VBS scandal.

Two suspects, Thabang Maroga, 34, and Dan Tjie, 35, have been charged with Maupa’s murder. Brigadier Motlafelo Mojapelo of the Limpopo provincial police confirmed that the accused were charged with the murder of Maupa on 27 March at the Tubatse Magistrate’s Court.

“They have been remanded in custody and the next court appearance will be between 3 and 14 May 2021 for trial at the Polokwane High Court,” Mojapelo said. 

In another matter, eSwatini national Thabo Sibandze is expected to appear in the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on September 30. Sibandze was charged with the murder of unionist Ronald Mani in December 2019. Sibandze, 27, was arrested after being linked to phone calls intimidating two Samwu members after the killing of Mani and his comrade Tshililo Timson “TT” Musetsho. It is alleged that Sibandze had also thrown pistols accompanied by a note into the two Samwu members’ homesteads, warning them that they should stop being vocal about the VBS scandal. Sibandze was initially charged with intimidation and illegal immigration after entering the country without proper documentation. However, after several court appearances, he was charged with Mani’s murder.

According to a close associate of Mani, who hailed from Tshisahulu outside Thohoyandou, the unionist knew his life was in danger and had sought help from local police days before he was gunned down.

It is alleged he also knew that his name was among several on a “hit list”. The list allegedly contained names of anti-corruption leaders who were to be eliminated for exposing corruption in the province.

“Mani feared for his life and needed protection from the Thohoyandou SAPS officials, but that did not happen,” said the associate, a member of one of the ANC allies in Limpopo who wished to remain anonymous.

“He knew that he was going to be killed but was not willing to back down. He walked into their (police) offices and alerted them that he was next to be silenced, but no action was taken,” said the associate.

Mani, 50, a Samwu deputy secretary, was shot and killed in January 2019 shortly after he had attended a general meeting at the Vhembe district municipality where he was employed. He had led the union both at local and regional levels until his election as deputy secretary in 2016. Prior to his murder, he had received death threats and intimidation for being outspoken against certain politicians who were involved in the looting of the VBS Mutual Bank in the Vhembe district.

It is alleged he also knew that his name was among several on a “hit list”. The list allegedly contained names of anti-corruption leaders who were to be eliminated for exposing corruption in the province.

Mani’s killing came two days after the attempted assassination of his friend and senior Samwu member, Musetsho “TT” as he was affectionately known. Musetsho, whose name also allegedly appeared on the hit list, like Mani, had been vehemently against the widespread corruption and wanted officials linked to the VBS scandal from the embattled Vhembe district municipality where he was an employee, to be removed. Musetsho, 48, was shot in January 2019, outside his home in Makwarela shortly after his arrival. He had been recovering at a hospital in Polokwane. Sadly, he succumbed to his injuries a day after Mani was shot dead.

The killing of the two comrades led to their colleagues fleeing their homes and going into hiding for fear of being attacked. In a desperate call for justice for the murdered unionists in 2019, organisations in the province, including Sanco, Cosatu and the ANC Youth League, held several marches and also picketed outside the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court under the “Justice for Mani” and “TT and Justice to the VBS looters’ ” campaigns. This was after Sibandze’s arrest.

Mani and Musetsho, said the anonymous associate, had also been fighting for the permanent employment of 319 workers who had been fired by the municipality. Days before they were gunned down they had addressed workers who had been on strike over the looting of the VBS bank. Vhembe district municipality was among the 11 municipalities that had invested R2.6-billion, in violation of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA). The municipality lost R300-million of taxpayers’ money after the looting of the bank.

The killings have bred a climate of fear among depositors who lost their money from the collapse of the bank. Even the families of those who were killed have taken a cautious approach, refusing several attempts by Mukurukuru Media to comment on the matter. 

A depositor who lost more than R500,000 of savings when the bank collapsed initially, spoke out in the early days of the bank’s demise, but has since declined requests for interviews saying she feared for her safety as powerful people were involved in the looting of the bank.

The people implicated in the looting of the bank are considered powerful and close to political power. The fact that the Venda king is also implicated has struck fear among the depositors, especially elderly ones who still have respect for traditional leadership. The killing of the two Samwu unionists and the intimidation of others added fuel to the fire. The depositors come mostly from rural areas in the former Venda homeland — the dynamics there are very different from Gauteng. Chiefs are still held in high esteem by the elders and still have some influence.

Musetsho’s daughter Mphoyanga commented on the case in an emotional tweet after last week’s bail application by the seven VBS suspects facing 47 charges including racketeering, fraud, corruption and money laundering.

“My father was brutally killed last year bcos he stood for the people & fought against VBS LOOTERS, tel ur politician frnds that they ar also comin for ’em,they gona rot in jail, my father’s death will never be in vain, RIP cde TT, God is fighting for u,” she said in a tweet.

But when contacted about the matter later, she declined to comment, saying she was not ready to talk.

A depositor who lost more than R500,000 of savings when the bank collapsed initially, spoke out in the early days of the bank’s demise, but has since declined requests for interviews saying she feared for her safety as powerful people were involved in the looting of the bank.

However, one of the leaders of a forum that campaigned for the bank to be saved after liquidation processes were instituted in 2018 told Mukurukuru Media that they had ceased their campaign out of fear.

In 2018, a forum called the Save VBS Task Team was initiated with the aim of campaigning to defend the bank from being liquidated. The Save VBS Task Team comprised 80 organisations, including civics, savings clubs, stokvels, community organisations, and business and traders forums. They argued that the bank offered affordable rates to clients who were mostly based in the Vhembe district municipality and that it understood their culture. They also argued that the depositors should not be punished for the sins of others.

“The Save VBS forum is dormant at this stage, primarily because it was becoming unsafe to actively participate in it,” said one of the forum’s leaders who asked to remain anonymous because of safety concerns.

Though the aim of the Save VBS Task Team was to defend the bank and what it represented to the people of the region, the leader made it clear that he did not want to divulge much about what some of the points of action were and whether they were still working in silence or had completely stopped.

“Those of us who spoke of saving VBS bank and requesting for accountability of those who may have had a hand in the collapse of the bank rendered us unpopular to different quarters.”

The leader said they were still hopeful that the bank could be resuscitated and return in another form.

“The bank played a pivotal role in the community. It is unfortunate that the greed of the few has led to this catastrophic situation.”

When news of the bank’s demise first broke in 2018, it sparked tragic scenes of pensioners spending cold nights sleeping outside its headquarters in Thohoyandou, hoping to salvage their savings.

VBS Mutual Bank customers queue outside a branch in Thohoyandou on 20 June 2018, hoping to withdraw money they saved for stokvels and burial societies. (Photo: Gallo Images / Sunday Times / Antonio Muchave)

However, those affected are reluctant to speak out, citing victimisation and worry that they may be singled out.

In November 2019, the parliamentary committee on co-operative governance and traditional affairs held public hearings into the VBS debacle in Thohoyandou. However, the crowds expected to grace the gathering to speak of the suffering brought about by the collapse of the bank stayed away, citing fear of being victimised.

The Save VBS Campaign leader suggested the fear factor was fuelled by efforts to protect those implicated. The forum staged numerous public protests in Thohoyandou in 2018 and seemed to be gaining popularity.

“There is a special committee handling depositors’ concerns and they are very private because too many spies are trying to get information to help defend their masters. That is what makes it dangerous,” the leader said.

“Economically, there is a lot of resistance as the bank poses a threat to the industry if allowed to continue. I think once we all know who is who, it is going to be easy to resolve the issues of VBS, but the web is still complex and it seems like everyone important is affected.”

Though the aim of the Save VBS Task Team was to defend the bank and what it represented to the people of the region, the leader made it clear that he did not want to divulge much about what some of the points of action were and whether they were still working in silence or had completely stopped.

“I think with the court processes in progress, a lot will start to unfold and be clear,” the leader concluded. Political parties in Limpopo, including the ANC which fired seven mayors for depositing public funds into the bank, have lauded last week’s swoop and called for more arrests.

In a second wave of arrests, former CFO of Merafong Municipality in Gauteng, Thys Wienekus, was arrested this week. All indications are that he will enter into a plea bargain with the state and turn state witness against his colleagues.

The South African Communist Party went further and called for the attachment of the properties of those implicated.

The party’s provincial spokesperson Machike Thobejane spoke about the pain and devastation caused by the bank’s collapse.

“The poverty-stricken people of the province are suffering from lack of essential services because of backlogs in water, roads, sanitation and so on, also because of the R1.2-billion defrauded in this jamboree by thieves, thugs, fraudsters and pickpockets,” Machike said.

“No stone should be left unturned in getting the money back to the people of the province. We urge the Hawks and the NPA to follow all leads and arrest all involved,” he said.

Seven of the eight accused, Tshifhiwa Matodzi, Andile Ramavhunga, Phophi Mukhodobwane, Sipho Malaba, Phalaphala Ramikosi, Ernest Nesane and Paul Magula appeared at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court last week and indicated that they would plead not guilty. The other accused, Philip Truter, claims to be in isolation over Covid-19. 

In a second wave of arrests, former CFO of Merafong Municipality in Gauteng, Thys Wienekus, was arrested this week. All indications are that he will enter into a plea bargain with the state and turn state witness against his colleagues.

Advocate Terry Motau’s 2018 report, The Great VBS Bank Heist, signalled accused number one Tshifhiwa Matodzi as the mastermind behind the scandal. Matodzi and his co-accused were released on R100,000 bail. On Friday, the National Prosecuting Authority confirmed that all the accused had paid the money for bail. DM/MC

This article was first published by Mukurukuru Media.

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