The South African Council of Churches (SACC) is calling on the government to demonstrate more urgency in implementing recommendations from the State Capture report.
Thursday marked a year since Chief Justice Raymond Zondo delivered the report of the Commission on State Capture to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The SACC’s general secretary Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana says, “It’s baffling. The kind of legislative processes that were recommended by the commission report is barely underway. With the prosecutions, we are not seeing any convictions of any serious nature.”
“It is in this regard that we have had to write to the prosecuting authority. Can they help us understand what it is that stands in the way of charges and convictions being effected,” adds Mpumlwana.
Below is the full interview with Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana:
Justice Zondo yesterday accused parliament of failing to implement some of the commission’s recommendations. He told a seminar at the Human Sciences Research Council in Pretoria that even if another episode of state capture were to take place, parliament would not be able to stop it.
However, Parliament has labelled the criticism made by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo against Parliament as unfortunate, lacking merit, and undermining the principles of separation of powers.
Justice Zondo has called for the establishment of a permanent state capture commission.
Parliament’s spokesperson Moloto Mothapo explains, “Parliament expresses shock and strong objection to the remarks made by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, former Head of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of state capture about parliament. It is inappropriate for the Chief Justice representing one of the arms of the state to engage in public attacks on parliament. We note also that the attacks are directed at the executive in so far as the current policy position of the electoral system is concerned.”
Focus on State Capture Report – One Year Later: Lawson Naidoo
