Funds lost during State capture will not be recovered: Madonsela

Former Public Protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela, says while some money that was lost through State capture has been returned to the State, a lot of the funds that were lost will never be regained.

She says South Africa can only contend with the knowledge of how State capture was imposed in order to avoid a similar occurrence in the future.

Her comments come after Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo handed the first of three investigation reports into State Capture to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday.

The State Capture Commission was established in 2018 by former President Jacob Zuma following recommendations made by Madonsela.

She says in order to get the fullest understanding of how State capture came to be, the country must await the submission of all the Commission’s reports.

“Money that was paid to Regiments, Trillian and McKinsey was returned and there’s more money that was returned that was looted via State capture. But because this process was made to be a kitchen sink approach which made it too wide, we will not get most of the money.”

“In fact, most of the money has been spent and syphoned out of the country. So we won’t get all of the money. But in return, we will get a broader viewpoint about what’s rotting in the state,” says Madonsela.

Below is the full interview with the former Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela: