Political analyst Dr Ralph Mathekga says the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) needs extremely dedicated prosecutors if it is to make a dent in what he terms the deep-rooted state capture.
The Commission of Inquiry into State Capture handed over its fourth report to the Presidency on Friday. The report has explosive revelations over corruption and fraud in the public sector including organs of state.
It lays bare former President Jacob Zuma’s alleged direct involvement in Eskom’s affairs in a well-orchestrated plan to capture the state-owned power utility.
The report indicates that Zuma, the Guptas and their associates were behind the suspension of many Eskom executives holding strategic positions to make way for those who would comply with their demands.
Recap of Eskom-related evidence at state capture inquiry
Mathekga says South Africans want to see immediate action.
“These are commercial cases. By their nature they need people who understand the movement of money. You need forensics to do this. And my fear is when we start creating another parallel institution in the NPA to say it’s going to look into it … this is a concern that people have. It’s about the consequences. That’s a lot of money. You can’t just mention a billion this, a billion this has been lost. Here, South Africans want to see a sense of consequences regarding what has happened at Eskom.”
State Capture Report | Prof Dirk Kotze provides analysis
