The Democratic Alliance (DA) has vowed to report Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema to Parliament’s Ethics Committee.
This is in relation to allegations that Malema used VBS Mutual Bank’s money to fund his Gucci, Durban July and party lifestyle.
In a statement on Tuesday, DA Chief Whip John Steenhuisen said if the allegations are true, then Malema failed to declare the benefits as required by parliamentary rules for MPs.
The DA has consulted the declaration of members’ interests for 2017 as well as 2018.
Mr Malema does not declare Mahuna Investments in any form for either of these years – not under Shares & Financial Interests, nor under Gifts & Hospitalities, nor even under Sponsorships or Benefits.
John Steenhuisen
Malema would have broken the law “many times over” if the claims are true, said Steenhuisen.
Steenhuisen charged that if proven true, the claims would expose Malema “as a hypocrite of the highest order.”
‘R900,000 in one month’
Daily Maverick‘s investigative reporter Pauli van Wyk published details of Malema’s alleged spending over the weekend.
According to her, the EFF leader used a bank card linked to Mahuna Investments, his cousin Matsobane Phaleng’s company.
Mahuna Investments allegedly received about R5.3 million from VBS.
Van Wyk claims Malema spent as much as R900,000 in July 2018 alone on fancy clothing, Durban July, and a party venue in Limpopo, among others.
Malema is seemingly unfazed by the allegations.
In response to suggestions that he should sue van Wyk if the reports are false, he replied, “You’re welcome to open a case. No one will stop you.”
His cousin Phaleng has maintained that all transactions on his company’s account are business-related.