Call for the ANC to implement step aside guidelines on its bigwigs

The ANC should trigger its step-aside resolution in response to its members implicated in Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s third report on state capture, according to a corruption expert.

From former president Jacob Zuma to Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, the report has been scathing about the conduct of ANC bigwigs who facilitated multimillion-rand government deals for the discredited facilities management company Bosasa – in return for material and financial reward.

Corruption Watch executive director Karam Singh said the ANC should “evaluate what has come out and see whether that would trigger something like the step-aside resolution – as seen with [former health minister] Zweli Mkhize who has stepped aside after being fingered in the Digital Vibes scandal”.

Said Singh: “Now we have a sitting Cabinet minister, Gwede Mantashe, who received gratification from a company implicated in corrupt activities while serving as secretary-general of the ANC.

NOW READ: Mantashe to take Zondo’s report on judicial review

“The ANC must tell us whether the step-aside resolution would apply to him.

“Similarly, with other senior ANC officials who are no longer in Cabinet – notably former president Jacob Zuma and former minister Nomvula Mokonyane – we would expect to see prosecution follow from the National Prosecuting Authority in relation to findings against those individuals.”

The report found Zuma to have been the most senior official that Bosasa attempted to influence.

The Zondo report found that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that Zuma provided government facilitation to benefit a corporate entity doing business with government and organs of state – “to the benefit of Bosasa, himself and his foundation, as the recipient of Bosasa’s material and monetary largesse”.

It also found that there was the probability of Zuma having played a role in securing the disclosure of confidential information in the hands of the prosecuting authorities – enhanced by the fact that Zuma’s close associate Dudu Myeni was also involved in providing confidential information emanating from the prosecuting authorities to Bosasa.

ALSO READ: Part three of the State capture report, a little too complicated for Zondo

Zondo also said there were reasonable grounds to suspect that Zuma’s conduct was in breach of his obligations as president under the constitution, obligations under the Executive Ethics Code and in breach of legislation.

In response, the Jacob G Zuma Foundation said Zuma will consult with his legal team “on the appropriate course of action to be taken”, following his implication in the third state capture report.

– brians@citizen.co.za – Additional reporting Cheryl Kahla