THE Zondo Commission has requested another extension to complete its work investigating the phenomenon of State Capture – described by some as an important test of South Africa’s whistle-blower culture.
In February last year, the North Gauteng High Court ruled that the inquiry can proceed until March 2021 but no longer than that.
The long-running commission has revealed how taxpayers’ money in South Africa was wasted and stolen by those entrusted with power, including former President Jacob Zuma and several ministers such as former Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba.
However, a lot has happened since then with Zuma refusing to appear the commission to give his version of events in response to allegations made against him by former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor and former government communications head Themba Maseko in their testimonies given in August.
On Thursday, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo announced that he would request for another extension until September to allow for the hearing of six witnesses and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s testimony.
The State Capture Inquiry will file papers with the Pretoria high court to ask for a three-month extension.
Speaking before the testimony of former Transnet chief finance executive Anoj Singh, Zondo said he needs more time to complete the commission’s task.
“I will not end the work of the commission in an irresponsible manner just because I want to satisfy those that demand the commission complete its work,” said Zondo.
Zondo said the commission was supposed to complete the hearing of the oral evidence in March but it didn’t.
He said during the time when the commission was not sitting at the beginning of June, the commission had time to look at some matters relating to certain evidence and that it was important to continue with certain evidence until the end of June.
Earlier, Zondo had called on all South Africans who have any knowledge or evidence of ways in which government entities were misused primarily for the benefit of a few, to step forward and reveal their secrets.
- Inside Politics
