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Holomisa calls for multi-pronged investigation into VBS Mutual Bank saga

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United Democratic Leader Bantu Holomisa says President Cyril Ramaphosa should establish a task team to ensure those implicated in looting the VBS Bank are speedily brought to book.

A final report on the investigation into large-scale fraud at VBS found that about R2 billion of depositors’ money was looted.

In the report, titled “VBS Mutual Bank – The Great Bank Heist“, the curator recommends that more than 50 individuals be criminally charged and held liable in civil proceedings.

Holomisa says he earlier handed over evidence relating to large-scale theft at VBS to the President who he says had agreed that a probe be instituted.

He says, “If you use different methods you are going to get to the bottom of those criminals and the recipients of those millions quicker than only going to the Hawks. How many people have been reporting cases to the Hawks and what action have they taken. However, if you establish a task team composed of the Hawks, Police, Intelligence, the people from the NPA, you will get better results as soon as possible.”

Holomisa says the ANC must ensure that poor clients of the bank are taken care of.

A number of ANC officials have been fingered by a Reserve Bank forensic report as having benefitted from the R2 billion looted from the bank.

Meanwhile, COPE has called for everyone implicated in the VBS Mutual Bank corruption report to be charged without delay, as well as for their assets to be frozen immediately.

COPE Spokesperson Dennis Bloom says there’s overwhelming evidence against the accused and there’s no need to waste time.

“These suspects have stolen from poor people everywhere in the country. We call upon the Hawks to institute arrests from today. We must deal harshly with corruption in our country. No one is above the law. We want to see action from today.”

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