Probe state capture – Ramaphosa
DEPUTY President Cyril Ramaphosa says he fully supports calls for a judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture, adding that the inquiry must leave no stone unturned.
“When we talk about issues, particularly one issue that has been the big elephant in our room, which is state capture. We should welcome the decision of the NEC of the ANC. That is an important decision,” Ramaphosa told Cosatu’s central committee in Pretoria yesterday.
“The ANC wants this decision to be implemented. It doesn’t want this decision to be put at the bottom of the cupboard. It must be implemented because this state capture issue is busy eating the African National Congress away.
“To prevent these stories we keep hearing, of emails and all these things coming out of the woodwork all the time – the appointment of Brian Molefe and so on – the commission must commence its work and it must have terms of reference that go the depths of what this issue is.”
Ramaphosa emphasised that he was personally supportive of the highly-punted investigation.
“One of the reasons why I support this decision… we want people to clear their names. We want the truth to free us. We want the African National Congress to return to its core business. The ANC must go back to what it was formed for. We must stop fighting side struggles and fighting one another,” Ramaphosa said, to applause.
“That commission must be established, come what may. It is also important that the terms of reference of that commission should allow for a thorough, in- depth investigation of the extent of undue influence from whatever quarter on the institutions of the state.”
On Monday, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, who was present as Ramaphosa addressed Cosatu, announced that the national executive committee wants a judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture by the controversial Gupta family.
Mantashe said although the NEC did not discuss the then-public protector’s damning “State of Capture” report at the weekend, the meeting agreed that President Jacob Zuma establish the inquiry to look into allegations of state capture after the dawn of democracy.
“The terms of reference of such commission of inquiry must be broad enough to uncover the influence of business on the state,” Mantashe told reporters. – ANA