Madonsela calls on Zuma to withdraw opposition to ‘state capture’ report

Former public protector Thuli Madonsela has urged President Jacob Zuma to abandon his legal action opposing her State of Capture report.

According to a News24 report, Madonsela wants Zuma to immediately appoint a commission of inquiry to probe allegations of “state capture” or alternatively allow Parliament to host open public hearings under the joint ethics committee regarding the report.

The former public protector noted the president’s much-criticised Cabinet reshuffle, which resulted in the sacking of Pravin Gordhan as finance minister and his deputy, Mcebisi Jonas, last week Thursday.

Madonsela said Jonas’ axing from Treasury had been a long time coming after he publicly alleged last year that the controversial Gupta family – benefactors of Zuma who are accused of allegedly appointing Cabinet ministers and benefiting from lucrative government tenders – had attempted to bribe him into taking up the post of finance minister in December 2015.

She was quoted as saying Jonas “simply lost his job without the administrative justice of having had his allegations tested by an independent body”.

“[I] respectfully believe that this does not augur well for would be whistleblowers, our country’s fight against corruption and efforts in the pursuit of good governance, the rule of law and sustainable democracy,” she said.

She also said many of the fired Cabinet ministers had either been helpful in her investigation or spoke out against the delaying tactics over the implementation of her report’s findings.

Zuma filed an application with the Pretoria High Court last year to review and set aside the remedial action recommendations in Madonsela’s report.

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