The Democratic Alliance (DA) has disclosed that Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane is under criminal investigation for alleged corruption – including defrauding Eskom – following charges laid by the party in March. The revelation comes as Parliament prepares to debate the R33-billion Human Settlements budget.
DA Justice Spokesperson, Adv. Glynnis Breytenbach MP, confirmed that SAPS has officially assigned an investigating officer to probe the case, initiated at Cape Town’s Central Police Station. The allegations include fraudulent billing exceeding R700,000 during Simelane’s tenure at consulting firm Vitrovian, for purported services at Eskom’s Kusile Power Plant – work allegedly performed by non-existent employees bearing Simelane’s signature.
The DA accused Simelane of “looting VBS Bank” during her term as Polokwane mayor, linking her to previous wrongdoing. The party is urging President Cyril Ramaphosa to enforce the ANC’s “step-aside” rule, requiring officials facing serious charges to vacate their posts pending resolution.
On 2 July, the DA will hold a media briefing led by Human Settlements spokesperson Luyolo Mphithi MP outside Parliament. The party intends to oppose Simelane’s department budget, stating they cannot support funding under a minister facing a police investigation.
DA Poised to Reject Budget
DA officials emphasized that, while they support housing delivery, they cannot condone allocating billions under the stewardship of a minister implicated in severe corruption. According to Mphithi, the department has seen a “catastrophic collapse of governance” across housing entities. Another DA MP, Conrad Poole, flagged that housing delivery targets have dropped by 30%, and key agencies are neglected and mismanaged.
Political Accountability Under the Spotlight
Simelane assumed the Human Settlements portfolio in December 2024 after earlier serving as Justice Minister and before that as Polokwane mayor. With new criminal charges underway, the DA is calling for her immediate suspension under ANC protocol, insisting President Ramaphosa must act to uphold integrity within government.
Amid intensifying scrutiny, the DA has warned they will leverage all parliamentary tools at their disposal to block the budget vote unless decisive action is taken.
Unlock Exclusive Content!
Subscribe to the Pondoland Times weekly newsletter for trusted alerts on SASSA payments, NSFAS funding, and breaking local news. Get exclusive interviews, community features, and verified stories you can rely on—delivered straight to your inbox.
