The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Wednesday urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to act decisively against corruption in his Cabinet, threatening to oppose the Department of Human Settlements’ budget.

“…we will not support a budget that risks becoming yet another tool for looting instead of delivering dignity to the people of South Africa,” it said.

The party highlighted said it cannot support allocating R33-billion in taxpayer funds to a department led by a Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane, who is implicated in corruption.

In March, the DA laid criminal charges against Simelane, after allegations emerged that she earned more than R700 000 while working for consulting company Vitrovian to crush protests at Eskom’s Kusile power plant.

Vitrovian’s charges were outrageously inflated, and the utility billed Eskom for work done by employees that did not exist. Simelane’s signature appears on the very first of these inflated invoices.

This allegation follows hot on the heels of reports that implicated Simelane in the VBS looting scandal.

“Thembi Simelane, now responsible for housing the most vulnerable South Africans, is directly linked to the looting of VBS Bank and is currently under police investigation for defrauding Eskom through fake invoices during her time at Vitrovian,” the party said.

The DA further pointed out that despite receiving a report on her involvement in the VBS scandal, Ramaphosa has refused to release it or take any action.

“…instead of removing Simelane, he simply moved her from the Department of Justice to Human Settlements – a clear sign that he prioritises ANC cadre protection over accountability and service delivery,” the DA stated.

“Since President Ramaphosa refuses to act, the DA will – by taking every possible step to hold Minister Thembi Simelane accountable and prevent further misuse of public funds,” it said.

The DA claimed that under the African National Congress (ANC), the housing crisis has worsened, with millions still living in “unsafe, undignified” conditions.

“There is a catastrophic collapse of governance across housing entities, with multiple CEOs suspended, fired, or under investigation. Millions still live without housing dignity – from collapsed homes to flooded informal settlements,” said DA Spokesperson on Human Settlements Luyolo Mphithi.

He said the DA supports funding for housing but rejects this budget because it enables corruption and cadre deployment.

Member of National Assembly Conrad Poole pointed to chronic failures in project planning, coordination, and accountability, which he said have led to stalled housing delivery and wasted funds.

He said the number of fully subsidised houses to be delivered has dropped by nearly 30%, while the title deed backlog remains unresolved.

“Key entities like NHBRC, NHFC, SHRA, and HDA are in disrepair, with weak enforcement, falling approvals, and poor governance. While aspects like emergency housing funding are welcomed, the DA cannot support a budget overseen by a compromised Minister,” Poole stated.

DA spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development Glynnis Breytenbach revealed that a South African Police Service officer has been assigned to investigate the criminal charges the party brought against Simelane.