Minister Thembi Simelane is under criminal investigation for alleged involvement in VBS Bank corruption during her tenure as Executive Mayor of Polokwane. Under her watch, Polokwane municipality invested R349 million in VBS between September 2016 and May 2017 — contravening the MFMA. She personally received a R575,000 loan from Gundo Wealth Solutions (a company facilitating illegal municipal VBS deposits) to buy a coffee shop in Sandton. Additionally, she faces allegations of fraudulently billing Eskom R700,000 through consulting firm Vitrovian for work at the Kusile Power Plant. Despite these allegations, Ramaphosa redeployed her from Justice to Human Settlements in December 2024 rather than removing her from cabinet.