The role of multinational companies in the state capture is expected to become clearer when the final report is made public. Many activists have raised concerns that multinational companies have been able to use their resources to escape heavy punishment when they’ve been implicated in state capture.
The message to whistleblowers is clear: big business cannot get away with murder.
The alleged masterminds behind the capturing of the state for their own benefit – Atul and Rajesh Gupta – have since been arrested in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The South African government is now engaged in a process to try and extradite the two to SA to account for their alleged involvement in fraud and corrupt activities.
However, there are concerns that the involvement of multinational companies in State capture is not properly highlighted.
Among the companies that were implicated are Bain, Glencore and others from countries such as China.
Whistleblowers and activists say they shouldn’t be let off the hook.
Mining giant Glencore recently entered into an agreement with the auditor general in the US to pay a hefty fine after the company was implicated in fraud and corruption in different countries around the world.
However, a call to the United Kingdom to punish Bain has not yielded results.
In South Africa, political parties such as the Economic Freedom Fighters have lodged cases against some multinational companies.
Findings on Arthur Fraser
While international investors will be watching with keen interest the presentation of the final state capture report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday evening, the Commission is also expected to release its findings on former spy boss Arthur Fraser named in the report.
The Commission has heard testimony regarding allegations of impropriety and wrongdoing at the State Security Agency (SSA) under Fraser’s helm.
In December 2021 – then Deputy Chief Justice dismissed Arthur Fraser’s application to cross-examine certain witnesses as Fraser did not comply with the rules of the commission that require that an applicant furnish the commission with his full version of events that he had been implicated in.
The release of the final report comes at a time when Fraser has unleashed a whirlwind of allegations against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The former spy boss recently opened a criminal case against Ramaphosa over the alleged theft of millions at the President’s Limpopo farm.
