State capture inquiry expected to begin in August

SOUTH Africa’s commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture will line up its first witnesses in August, head of the inquiry, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, said.

“The legal team has already been in touch with witnesses and their lawyers. They have been contacted and in due course, members of the legal team will interview them. We appreciate the public’s interests in the inquiry, as we are asked wherever we go as to when the inquiry will begin its work,” Zondo told reporters in Johannesburg.

“We are planning to have the first hearing in August, there might be an adjournment after the first witnesses are done.”

The commission’s logo was presented at the briefing in Parktown. Zondo said Hill on Empire will be the venue.

An adjacent building will house the commission’s staff. Zondo said the commission has been doing work behind the scene despite a delay for investigations to get under way. The delay was as a result of talks with government departments and entities that took longer than anticipated. The investigators were supposed to have been out on the field from mid-March.

“Because of the sensitivity on the side of the investigators who will remain anonymous, we needed a level of confidentiality... we needed to discuss that with the government departments to come to an agreement. We are ready.” – African News Agency (ANA)