ZONDO COMMISSION ISSUED SUBPOENAS TO BANKS REQUESTING RECORDS OF EFF’S JULIUS MALEMA

The Zondo commission has requested the banking records of EFF leaders, Julius Malema and Floyd Shivambu, only a week after the commission reportedly asked for financial records of former president Jacob Zuma and his children.

The commission broadened its investigation into state capture to include EFF leaders that are linked to a number of state contracts.

The commission has issued subpoenas to South Africa’s major banks requesting information on more than 36 entities, which include Malema’s financial records and those of his wife, Mantoa; his late grandmother, Sarah; his lawyer, Ian Levitt; and his Ratanang Family Trust. The entities also include several companies which are linked to Malema.

It is reported that another entity which is included in the orders is Shivambu, his brother, Brian, and Brian’s companies, who illegally benefitted from the R2,3 billion VBS Mutual Bank heist.

Information was provided to the investigators who are now studying the bank records.

 It was reported that the banks had complied and that investigators were now analysing the bank records. However, there has been no indication that Malema, Shivambu, their families and associates were a target of the state capture inquiry.

Levitt claimed that he was unaware of the subpoenas, as well as Malema who stated that was unaware of any subpoenas for his bank records and those of his wife and grandmother

The subpoenas are for at least 20 accounts which are linked to the Zuma family. It includes a TV production company which belongs to one of Zuma’s daughters, Gugulethu Zuma-Ncube.  

Zuma recently lashed out at the commission due to the interest the commission has in his children’s bank accounts. Zuma soon appealed to the commission to exclude his children from the investigations, and added that he complied and accepted that the commission was "desperate" to hold him to account in its state capture probe. However, he condemned the attempts to target his children and stated that they had nothing to do with.

Zondo commission spokesperson, Reverend Mbuyiselo Stemela, shut down Zuma’s request and stated, "The commission has nothing to say about former president’s statement concerning the latter’s children’s bank accounts. Should there be something to say, the media will be informed."