Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema was on Tuesday sworn in as a member of Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests, which has the case of his right-hand man Floyd Shivambu before it.
DA MP and spokesperson on corruption Phumzile van Damme laid a complaint with the committee after EFF deputy president and chief whip in Parliament Shivambu's brother, Brian Shivambu, was named among those accused of being part of large-scale looting at VBS Mutual Bank.
This follows the revelations of fraud and corruption at VBS Mutual Bank in a report titled The Great Bank Heist. The report, compiled by advocate Terry Motau and Werksmans Attorneys, was released earlier this month.
In the report, the younger Shivambu was identified as one of those alleged to have received money from the bank in a "looting scheme" involving R1.8-billion. He is said to have received R16-million.
The Daily Maverick reported that of that R16-million, about R10-million found its way to Floyd, and R1.33-million to the EFF.
Floyd described the allegations that he received R10m from his brother as "insanity" and "madness".
No declaration of money
Van Damme charged that he transgressed the legislature's rules on conflicts of interest.
Van Damme said that if he indeed received payments from VBS, the payments were in contravention of the members' code of conduct because there was no indication that he declared the money in the 2015/2017 declaration of members' interests and payments in Parliament.
Her complaint to the ethics committee is also based on clause 5.2 of the parliamentary code of conduct, which "makes provision for a member, or their immediate family member to not accept any reward, benefit or gift from any person or body that creates a direct conflict or business interest for such member".
Malema isn't the only new face in the committee.
The African National Congress (ANC) caucus announced that Humphrey Maxegwana would be the new co-chairperson, replacing Amos Masondo.
"Comrade Amos Masondo becomes the new chairperson of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence. The position was previously held by comrade Charles Nqakula who resigned as a member of Parliament after his appointment as national security adviser to President (Cyril) Ramaphosa," reads a statement from the office of the ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu.
Maxegwana was the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Communications and will be replaced by former minister of higher education and training Hlengiwe Mkhize.
"The office of the ANC chief whip congratulates the new appointees and wishes them well in their new roles of responsibilities. We are quite certain that these appointments will further reinforce Parliament's oversight role over the executive and enhance quality service delivery to the people of South Africa," reads Mthembu's statement.
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