Zondo defends R100m spent by probe
Deputy Chief Justice says they’ll push to complete oral evidence in first half of 2020, if granted an extension
DEPUTY Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has defended the more than R100 million that has been spent by the commission of inquiry into state capture which he chairs.
He said yesterday the commission would cost a lot of money and that if it did its job properly, there would be lots more spent.
“I know that from the beginning of this financial year up to now, I think we have spent over R100m, but I don’t have the figures for the beginning of the commission last year,” he said.
Justice Zondo said an operation such as the commission cost a lot.
“But throughout, it is our duty to make sure that as far as possible we don’t spend one more cent of taxpayers’ money unnecessarily and we keep that in mind,” he told the SABC’s
Earlier this month, Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa told Parliament that President Cyril Ramaphosa believed there was an unprecedented proliferation of commissions and that they had limitations and should not be regarded as the first or last resort when there were other avenues to pursue.
Mthethwa was responding to DA MP Tsepo Mhlongo’s question on why a commission had not been established to investigate the stampede at the FNB Stadium which led to the death of two fans during the Soweto Derby in July 2017.
Justice Zondo’s disclosure follows the North Gauteng High Court’s decision to review and set aside the report of the arms deal commission due to uncontested evidence revealing errors of law, clear failure to test key witnesses’ evidence and the refusal to take into account documentary evidence containing the most serious allegations relevant to the inquiry.
The commission, headed by Supreme Court of Appeal Justice Willie Seriti, cost R137m in almost five years, but this excluded the legal costs of various government departments and employees who gave evidence.
Its evidence leaders, a research consultant and a forensic auditor, were paid over R73m.
The commission that investigated the Marikana massacre, chaired by retired Judge Ian Farlam, cost the state over R153m.
Justice Zondo also revealed that his commission would ask the High Court for an extension of its term.
“We will push very hard to try and finish with the hearing of oral evidence in the first half of next year if we are granted an extension, but we depend on the High Court to get an extension,” he said.
He also addressed growing calls for recipients of the arms commission funds to repay the money.
“We must accept that errors can be made. I can make an error, another judge can make an error, the Chief Justice can make an error; we can all make errors,” he said.
However, he also warned: “But at the same time we have got to bear in mind as society that we must be careful not to have a situation where the next time a judge is asked to chair a commission, he or she says:
“‘I don’t want to put myself in a situation where I could end up being sued or I must pay the costs because I erred.’ “
“It is our duty to make sure we don’t spend money unnecessarily
Raymond Zondo
DEPUTY CHIEF JUSTICE