Jonas says we over-‘Zumanise’ state capture

Former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas told the commission of inquiry into state capture on Friday that the biggest mistake that could be committed at the moment is to think that the state capture project was solely about former president Jacob Zuma.

The commission is investigating allegations of undue influence the controversial Guptas had over Zuma, his cabinet ministers, and leaders at state enterprises to do their bidding for state tenders worth billions of rand.

“The danger, I would argue, with the process of state capture, is, can I use the term to over-Zumanise it?

“To think that it was about Zuma, that would be the biggest mistake because it is bigger, it is structural, it is systemic, because you will miss the point if you do that,” Jonas told the commission.

Jonas said the danger of not looking at the structural issues should be avoided and there is a need for decoupling politics from structures and separating the party in the governing seat from the state.

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