Zondo commission to approach court in ‘due course’ for an extension

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, who chairs the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture, says they will be approaching the High Court in due course to apply for an extension to the inquiry.

Speaking to eNCA this week, Zondo said the team aimed to see whether it could finish the hearing of oral evidence by at least mid-2020.

“Hopefully, after that at least it can be the preparation of the report,” he said.

The Zondo commission officially began its hearings on August 20, 2018.

A year on, the inquiry is still top of mind for many as witnesses continue to share damning allegations and millions tune into TV broadcasts or online livestreams.

Zondo revealed to the SABC on Wednesday that, from the beginning of this financial year up to now [August], the commission had cost more than R100 million.

He said he did not have the figures from when the commission started.

“It [the commission] costs a lot of money and if we are to do the job properly, there will be a lot of money that will be spent.

“But throughout, it is our duty to make sure that, as far as possible, we don’t spend one more cent of taxpayer’s money and we keep that in mind,” he told the SABC.

“I think what is important is that we have always have to bear in mind that we must do our job properly.”

Zondo said the commission’s lifespan at the moment goes up to the end of February next year, adding that it was clear they were going to apply for an extension.

He also said the commission still had a lot of implicated persons who needed to be given a chance to give evidence.

He said they had issued more than 700 notices to implicated persons and a lot of those people had not applied to cross-examine witnesses who had implicated them.

“I am hoping we finish with the hearing of oral evidence in the first half of next year.”

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