The justice minister is set to face parliament over the dodgy loan scandal
05 September 2024 - 05:00
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South Africa has a long history of outstanding sprinters in athletics. Reggie Walker was Olympic 100m champion in 1908, Paul Nash equalled the world 100m record twice in an afternoon in the 1960s, and this year was a bumper one. The South African relay team won silver at the Paris Olympics and last week one of their number, Bayanda Walaza, won gold medals in the 100m and 200m at the world under-20 championships in Peru. Not to be outdone, Paralympic sprinter Mpumelelo Mhlongo won the 100m gold medal in Paris last Sunday.
A bad week for justice minister Thembi Simelane may just be getting worse. She has been summoned to appear before parliament and please explain a suspicious loan she received when she was mayor of Polokwane from a company owned by a man with links to VBS Mutual Bank. VBS has since been exposed as a piggy bank for some suspect politicians. Whether Simelane, who used the money to open a coffee shop, has now smelt the coffee is unknown, but her cross-examination in parliament might explain some other smells around her.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
A bad week for Thembi Simelane
The justice minister is set to face parliament over the dodgy loan scandal
A good week for Bayanda Walaza
South Africa has a long history of outstanding sprinters in athletics. Reggie Walker was Olympic 100m champion in 1908, Paul Nash equalled the world 100m record twice in an afternoon in the 1960s, and this year was a bumper one. The South African relay team won silver at the Paris Olympics and last week one of their number, Bayanda Walaza, won gold medals in the 100m and 200m at the world under-20 championships in Peru. Not to be outdone, Paralympic sprinter Mpumelelo Mhlongo won the 100m gold medal in Paris last Sunday.
A bad week for Thembi Simelane
A bad week for justice minister Thembi Simelane may just be getting worse. She has been summoned to appear before parliament and please explain a suspicious loan she received when she was mayor of Polokwane from a company owned by a man with links to VBS Mutual Bank. VBS has since been exposed as a piggy bank for some suspect politicians. Whether Simelane, who used the money to open a coffee shop, has now smelt the coffee is unknown, but her cross-examination in parliament might explain some other smells around her.
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