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[File photo]
The Polokwane Special Commercial Crimes Court in Limpopo has heard that former African National Congress (ANC) Treasurer in Limpopo, Danny Msiza used his political power to influence municipalities to invest in the now defunct VBS mutual bank.
A key witness in the looting of the bank was testifying anonymously in the corruption trial of former mayor of Thulamela local municipality, Avhashoni Tshifhango.
Tshifhango allegedly received a vehicle valued at more than half a million rand as a bribe after the municipality invested R30 million. The witness is being kept in the state’s witness protection unit for security reasons and cannot be identified.
The witness told the court that he met then ANC Treasurer in Limpopo, Danny Msiza on the 19th of September 2016 at a hotel outside Polokwane.
The witness was a manager at one of the VBS branches. He testified that Msiza took over his presentation and instructed officials from municipalities who were at the meeting to invest with VBS.
He will conclude his testimony when the matter resumes in April.
Tshifhango’s lawyer, Beauty Madavha will then cross-examine him.
The trial has been adjourned to the 10th and 11th of April for further hearing.
“Mr X was called to court as a state witness to testify how he sealed the deal of buying a Jeep Grand Cherokee for the former mayor Avhashoni Tshifhango. And he is the same person who has made the presentation to the Limpopo premier imbizo in September 2016, where he was also doing a presentation of the investment of the VBS so that the municipalities of Limpopo will be able to invest in their VBS mutual bank,” says Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, the Limpopo NPA Spokesperson.
