Nine years ago, during a public visit to Alexandra Township as part of the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s 2016 campaign trail, I was told about the plight of the family of the late Jappie Vilankulu, a young man who had been killed by apartheid police on June 17, 1976. The account shared by the Vilankulu family left a lasting impression on me.
Touched by the Vilankulu family’s story and in support of the DA’s proposal at the time to honour Jappie Vilankulu’s legacy through the creation of an educational foundation, I contributed a seed fund of R500,000. On 19 June 2017, I transferred the funds into the bank account of the “Vilankulu Charitable Trust”, as provided to me by Advocate Andrew Cadman. Cadman had been tasked by the DA with establishing the proposed Foundation. I acted in good faith and trusted that the appropriate steps would be taken to ensure that the Foundation was lawfully constituted and properly managed in line with its intended purpose.
Until recently, I had no reason to question this trust. However, during an unrelated conversation, someone asked me about the current status of the Vilankulu Educational Foundation. It was a question I could not answer. I soon discovered that no one else could either.
After making further enquiries, I was alarmed to find that the Foundation appears to have disappeared without a trace. There is no record of its activities or the use of the funds I donated. Most troubling of all is that the Vilankulu family has also not been informed of any developments and remains in the dark.
When I contacted Advocate Cadman, he informed me through several email exchanges that he had lost all contact with the DA and the Trustees of the Foundation following its initial establishment in 2017. He stated that he had no knowledge of what had occurred since.
As someone who made a public commitment to support this important initiative, I find the absence of accountability deeply concerning. It is unacceptable that funds donated in good faith for a cause of such significance could simply vanish without explanation.
ActionSA has now written formally to DA leader, John Steenhuisen, requesting a full account of the status of the Vilankulu Charitable Trust and the use of the R500,000 donation. I have given Mr Steenhuisen seven working days to respond to this request. If the information is not provided within this period, I am prepared to pursue all legal avenues available to uncover the truth.
This matter is not only about financial transparency. It is also about respecting the memory of Jappie Vilankulu and ensuring that the commitments made to his family are honoured.
Unaccounted Funds and the Missing Vilankulu Educational Foundation
Nine years ago, during a public visit to Alexandra Township as part of the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s 2016 campaign trail, I was told about the plight of the family of the late Jappie Vilankulu, a young man who had been killed by apartheid police on June 17, 1976. The account shared by the Vilankulu family left a lasting impression on me.
Touched by the Vilankulu family’s story and in support of the DA’s proposal at the time to honour Jappie Vilankulu’s legacy through the creation of an educational foundation, I contributed a seed fund of R500,000. On 19 June 2017, I transferred the funds into the bank account of the “Vilankulu Charitable Trust”, as provided to me by Advocate Andrew Cadman. Cadman had been tasked by the DA with establishing the proposed Foundation. I acted in good faith and trusted that the appropriate steps would be taken to ensure that the Foundation was lawfully constituted and properly managed in line with its intended purpose.
Until recently, I had no reason to question this trust. However, during an unrelated conversation, someone asked me about the current status of the Vilankulu Educational Foundation. It was a question I could not answer. I soon discovered that no one else could either.
After making further enquiries, I was alarmed to find that the Foundation appears to have disappeared without a trace. There is no record of its activities or the use of the funds I donated. Most troubling of all is that the Vilankulu family has also not been informed of any developments and remains in the dark.
When I contacted Advocate Cadman, he informed me through several email exchanges that he had lost all contact with the DA and the Trustees of the Foundation following its initial establishment in 2017. He stated that he had no knowledge of what had occurred since.
As someone who made a public commitment to support this important initiative, I find the absence of accountability deeply concerning. It is unacceptable that funds donated in good faith for a cause of such significance could simply vanish without explanation.
ActionSA has now written formally to DA leader, John Steenhuisen, requesting a full account of the status of the Vilankulu Charitable Trust and the use of the R500,000 donation. I have given Mr Steenhuisen seven working days to respond to this request. If the information is not provided within this period, I am prepared to pursue all legal avenues available to uncover the truth.
This matter is not only about financial transparency. It is also about respecting the memory of Jappie Vilankulu and ensuring that the commitments made to his family are honoured.