State capture report: Public Protector to monitor implementation of all recommendations

The Public Protector South Africa (PPSA) says it has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting periodic implementation reports of the state capture report recommendations from both parliament and the Presidency.

This for the purposes of monitoring the execution of all the recommendations.

The Zondo commission was appointed following a recommendation of remedial action by former public protector Thuli Madonsela in her State of Capture report in 2016.

The State of Capture report presented evidence of the abuse of power and of how public institutions were repurposed to enable corrupt activities.

On Wednesday evening, Ramaphosa received the final report. The president will go through it and present to parliament a full implementation plan of the recommendations from the report.

The PPSA has welcomed the conclusion of the Zondo commission and has sent a letter to Ramaphosa requesting copies of the commission’s report in full.

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“In the same correspondence, it is also requested that the President submit to Parliament a plan on how the Commission’s recommendations will be implemented in line with paragraph 8.8 of the PPSA Report No. 06 of 2016/17 and that the PPSA be copied in that communication,” said the PPSA in a statement on Thursday.

‘State capture an assault on our democracy’

Ramaphosa described state capture as an assault on the country’s democracy and violated the rights of every citizen of the country.

“Through the various reports released by the Commission, we have come to understand what happened, who was involved, and what effect state capture has had on our state, our economy and our society. The State of Capture report presented evidence of the abuse of power and of how public institutions were repurposed to enable corrupt activities to take place,” said Ramaphosa.

“The report is far more than a record of widespread corruption, fraud and abuse; it is also an instrument through which the country can work to ensure that such events are never allowed to happen again.”

Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde