Nobody can hide abroad from state capture allegations – Mabuza

South Africa’s deputy president, David Mabuza committed in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) today during his maiden question and answer session that persons implicated in state capture and corruption at state-owned enterprises who had left the country would be subpoenaed to answer for their actions.

“If anyone has done wrong on our shores, our laws empower us to find that someone to come and account for his or her wrongdoings,” the deputy president said.

He said the relationship that South Africa shares and the agreements it has made with a number of countries would ensure that the subpoenaed individuals have their day in court.

“We hope that when that time comes people will be subpoenaed to come,” Mabuza said.

Mabuza was responding to a question by the ANC on whether the government has developed short and long-term interventions of ensuring that the state strengthens good governance in the public service and state-owned entities in order to enhance the delivery of quality services and strengthening state entities.

He said the parliamentary probe and commission of inquiry into state capture would share evidence to ensure that the country’s law enforcement agencies bring to book those found to be guilty.

“What I have noted in all our SOEs that in terms of trying to deal with maladministration, ineffectiveness in the performance of their duties, they are at different levels all of them and the one that was far behind is Eskom,” the deputy president said.

However, he added that the appointment of a new board at the power utility has brought to the fore a number of wrongs within the entity leading to some resignations.

“That means there is a board that is following up on this issue. With regards to SAA, remember there was a turnaround strategy that was placed before the board and the minister is monitoring that turnaround strategy,” he said.

Mabuza said he is certain that when it comes to Denel – the state-owned supplier of defence products – the Minister of Defence, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has identified concerns that must be addressed immediately. He added that a similar situation is unfolding at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa).

“So you can count, almost all these SOEs are now taking the right direction. But with regards to corruption, the alleged state capture by individuals who are inside those SOEs with those that are outside those SOEs the commision has been appointed solely to go behind that,” he said.

The deputy president expressed his confidence that SOEs would be put back on track.

Mabuza said it is imperative that public service departments design and put in place effective structures which would help them achieve their outcomes and that those appointed to those structures should be fit and competent public servants who are adequately resourced to carry out their duties.

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