The authenticity of allegations of the capture of South Africa’s state-owned enterprises should be urgently probed by a “competent body” and if found to be true, people should be punished, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday.
Replying to questions in the National Assembly, Ramaphosa said it was in the interest of all South Africans that a judicial commission of inquiry be set up to probe state capture so the guilty could be brought to book and the innocent could clear their names.
“The veracity of the claims need to be established. Where crime has been committed, those responsible must be prosecuted and be brought to book.”
Ramaphosa said President Jacob Zuma was speaking to his lawyers about a proposal, which has found favour with many within the ruling party and its alliance partners.
“President Jacob Zuma has the power to establish such a commission in terms of Section 84 (f) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and he has indicated that he’s not opposed to the establishment of a commission of inquiry and as we speak now, he’s in the process of consulting his legal advisers to find ways of giving effect to this proposal,” said Ramaphosa.
“The allegations are clearly a matter of grave concern to many South Africans. State capture, it can be said in whatever form it takes, is abhorrent and is something we all as South Africans should not, and cannot, be tolerated.”
– African News Agency (ANA)
