Zondo bid to extend probe
Ten more months needed to finish inquiry
DEPUTY Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has asked for an additional 10 months so that his commission can continue probing capture at state institutions.
Justice Zondo also wants the Hawks, Special Investigations Unit, the National Prosecuting Authority and Public Protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane to investigate other acts of corruption in municipalities and provincial governments that were not the focus of former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report.
In an urgent application heard by Judge Wendy Hughes at the North Gauteng High Court yesterday, Zondo said former president Jacob Zuma had widened his proclamation when he announced the establishment of the state capture inquiry to include those not identified by Madonsela.
He made the application through his counsel, advocate Paul Kennedy, less than 20 days before the commission’s term of office comes to an end.
In his application, Zondo listed Prasa, the Free State government and various other state-owned entities, such as Eskom, SAA, the SABC, Denel, Transnet and SA Express as the main targets of the second phase of his investigations.
Kennedy told the court that Zondo hoped to conduct these investigations within the next 10 months, before he furnished President Cyril Ramaphosa with his findings and recommendations.
In the 68-page application, Zondo lists the achievements by the commission to date, including a number of interviews with those implicated in state capture, such as former president Jacob Zuma, his son Duduzane, and former GCIS head Mzwanele Manyi.
Kennedy, however, did not go into detail about Zondo’s intentions in dealing with Zuma after he failed to appear at the hearings last month citing ill health.
On the work conducted thus far, Zondo listed witnesses who had already made it to the commission, such as former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas, former correctional services minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi and former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor.
This, he said, included evidence from current and former officials within state-owned entities.
In his application for the extension, Zondo said: “No less than 10 witnesses will be heard in relation to Prasa. That is leaving out time that may be required for cross-examination, should I grant some of the implicated people leave to cross-examine witnesses who implicated them.”
Justice Zondo further indicated that he was still expecting to hear the evidence of 15 witnesses related to acts of corruption, fraud, improper conduct and irregularities in government projects and tenders in the Free State – including government departments.
He said the probe would extend to claims that Parliament had failed to perform its oversight obligations to stop fraud and corruption within its ranks.
According to Justice Zondo, when Zuma announced the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture he widened his proclamation to investigate acts of corruption in all national and provincial government departments – all 200 municipalities and their entities.
He said if he had to conduct investigations as proclaimed by Zuma, he would require about four to six years to conclude them. Judgment has been reserved.