The Ramabulana Mphephu family is rallying behind the embattled Vha Venda King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana who is implicated in VBS looting.
According to the Reserve Bank forensic report, the king received R17 million from VBS. The King has already indicated that the money was royal gift.
Recently, certain sections of society, including the SACP, have been calling on the king to step down and appoint someone else in the family to replace him due to his alleged involvement in the VBS scandal.
Since the Reserve Bank released its report of the alleged looting of the VBS mutual bank, the King has never addressed his subjects in person. His office and the family have been using the former African National Congress (ANC) provincial spokesperson and municipal manager of Thulamela municipality Makonde Mathivha to speak on his behalf.
Speaking at the press conference held at Dzanani royal place on Wednesday, the family spokesperson Ntsieni Ramabulana says the King wants action to be taken against those who were involved in the collapse of the VBS including himself.
“The King has said and said it time and time again, that all those who are involved in the VBS debacle those who have stolen the money and those who find themselves on the other side of the law, need to face the full might of the law and he said again that indeed if he himself is found to have transgressed the law the must be able to take its course so he is willingly to subject himself to the authorities of this country,” says Ramabulana.
The King’s uncle Japan Ramabulana reiterated the King’ stance that everything he received were gifts given to him by his subjects.
The family has decided to setup up a committee which will oversee and manage gifts received by the community.
Japan Ramabulana says it’s normal for the King to receive gifts,”everything he got pertaining VBS were just gifts to the King which is a normal practice. Even his father used to get vehicles and cattle as gifts, the uncles and the ant to the give to ask for things but the King does not, people give him gifts as a traditional leader.”
The King’s ant who is the oversee the King’s throne in the Venda culture, , Phophi Mephephu Ramabalana has dismissed any notion that the King can be replaced, saying Toni Mphephu Ramabulana is the real King to lead the Venda nation and no one else can replace him.
“I’m not happy will this thing that is happening, he is not going anywhere, he was installed as the king by the ant and uncles. Anyone who wants to dethrone him must come and face me,” says Phophi.
Asked why the King is not addressing his subjects on his own through the media, Ntsieni Ramabulana says the King in his nature delegates people to speak on his behalf.
Ramabulana has called on the SACP leadership to engage the family over their call that the King must step down.
King Toni Ramabulana is engaging the Reserve Bank on the matter and has committed to payback an amount which will be determined by the Reserve Bank as having been given to him as gifts unlawfully.
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