Skepticism persists over SA’s anti-corruption efforts two years after State Capture commission

Despite what President Cyril Ramaphosa has deemed as considerable efforts in the fight against corruption, the topic still remains at the forefront of national discourse especially as the country commemorates the two-year anniversary since the State Capture Commission concluded its public hearings.

In his weekly newsletter, and likely in response to Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s earlier reference that very little of the Zondo Commission’s 250 recommendations are currently being implemented, Ramaphosa persistently underscored what the government perceived as noteworthy advancements in the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) endeavours to implement the recommendations, fight corruption, and hold those guilty accountable.

ALSO READ: NPA expands capacity to tackle state capture, corruption case

Ramaphosa claims progress has been made

The president said that over the course of its tenure, the commission amassed evidence through the testimonies of more than 300 witnesses and the collection of over 1.7 million pages of documentary evidence.

Despite the seemingly slow progress, Ramaphosa said significant steps have been taken.

“It must be noted that the government submitted an implementation plan to Parliament to address the commission’s 205 recommendations, focusing on criminal investigations and possible prosecutions,” he said.

He added that the NPA and the Hawks established an Integrated Task Force that is currently overseeing nine cases involving 41 individuals and 12 companies.

ALSO READ: NPA’s ability to prosecute state capture cases in doubt, says DA

He also highlighted the recovery of stolen funds, with R5.4 billion already returned to the state and R13 billion worth of freezing orders granted to the NPA.

Beyond prosecution, he also claimed South Africa was undergoing legislative and institutional changes to prevent corruption in the future. He noted that cabinet approval has been granted for eight out of the 14 proposed new laws or amendments aimed at addressing public procurement, political involvement in administrative matters, the conduct of public servants, intelligence services, money laundering, and electoral reforms.

Six draft laws are also in the process of public consultation.

Corruption in SOEs

The Zondo commission also highlighted the role of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and the public procurement system as hotspots for corruption. In response to this, Ramaphosa said that the government introduced the Public Procurement Bill, which set out to enhance transparency, introduce binding codes of conduct, and establish the Public Procurement Office to ensure compliance.

The commission’s report also drew attention to the erosion of law enforcement, intelligence, and revenue collection agencies’ effectiveness. Ramaphosa stressed the importance of restoring the integrity of these institutions through strategic appointments of capable leaders.

Better at diplomacy than politics

But political analyst Theo Venter says that Ramaphosa is better at diplomacy than politics, and his newsletter shows this.

“The problem is that state capture happened within the ruling ANC, and some current leaders like Gwede Mantashe, Zizi Kodwa, and Nomvula Monkonyane knew about it.

“This makes it hard to follow the suggestions. Strengthening the NPA and creating anti-corruption systems should have been done a long time ago.

“State capture can’t be stopped without these changes and the ruling party making honest decisions, but that might not happen soon or at all,” he said.

ALSO READ: ANC blames state capture for SA’s greylisting, says steps being taken to solve problem