Capture probe starts
FORMER ANC caucus chairperson and MP Vytjie Mentor has called on South Africans to watch and follow the hearings of the Zondo Commission into state capture, which gets under way today. Mentor will testify next Monday.
“The chapter of the commission is very important in putting our country on a new path away from the degeneration and chaos of the past 10 years. Let us please join hands together to follow the commission,” she said.
“In this way we could be able to wrest our country from the abyss and doldrums that it has been plunged into while we looked on hopelessly.”
Mentor made her comments as Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo prepared to open the proceedings in Parktown, Johannesburg today.
Commission spokesperson Mbuyiselo Stemela said today’s session, starting at 10am, would not feature any testimonies by witnesses.
Advocate Paul Pretorius was due to make an opening statement on behalf of the commission’s legal team, and advocate Thandi Norman was to make a presentation of reports.
The commission has 180 days to complete its work.
Stemela would not be drawn on what the presentation by Norman was about.
“It is best to wait for that to be presented and the public is welcome to attend. Registration starts at 7.30am,” Stemela said.
He said the commission would start having testimonies of witnesses tomorrow.
The commission has named Mentor, former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas and former Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) chief executive Themba Maseko among those in the line-up. Also testifying will be National Treasury official Ndleleni Willie Mathebula and acting GCIS chief executive Phumla Williams.
Maseko tweeted on Friday that he would appear before the commission on August 31.
“It’s gonna be going down,” he said.
Yesterday, Stemela could not say how many witnesses had been invited to testify.
“The legal team is preparing a list of witnesses that will be released once it is finalised,” he said.
The commission previously said its legal team was consulting with witnesses.
Former president Jacob Zuma has reportedly been invited to answer in person allegations that he directly facilitated favours for the Guptas to help the family get government business.
The Sunday Times reported that Justice Zondo had written to Zuma asking him to say whether he used information he came across as head of state to enrich himself and the Guptas.
It was not immediately confirmed if Zuma’s son Duduzane had been invited to respond to what some of the witnesses would say about him.
Duduzane has been fingered by Jonas, who claimed to have been offered a bribe of R600 million by the Guptas to take the finance minister position in his presence when the then finance minister was to be fired.
Ray Henning, spokesperson for Freedom for Duduzane, said he was unaware if the businessman has been invited to the commission. He said they were busy mobilising for Duduzane’s support in case he was invited.
The commission of inquiry was appointed by Zuma after he lost a court case to review then public protector Thuli Madonsela’s report on state capture.
Madonsela had in her remedial action ordered that Zuma establish a commission to be chaired by a judge appointed by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.
The commission is tasked to investigate all allegations of state capture and corruption in the public service.
The commission hearings will be open to the public, but Justice Zondo may decide that a hearing should be held in camera and specify the people who will be allowed to attend.