The last terrible finding of a four-year investigation into South Africa’s national corruption under former leader Jacob Zuma, announced Wednesday, was President Cyril Ramaphosa’s action on some of his predecessor claims. Suggested that there is a possibility.
Ramaphosa, who was on behalf of Zuma at the time, said the transplant was “an assault on our democracy.”
The report was handed over to Ramaphosa at the Pretoria office by the Chief of the Investigation Commission and Judge Raymond Zondo.
The looting and mismanagement of South African state-owned enterprises during his nine-year tenure with Ramaphosa as adjutant is called “occupation of state-owned enterprises.”
It took a total of more than 400 days for the investigative commission to collect testimony from about 300 witnesses, including Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa’s answer to some of the questions he knew about corrupt activities was “opaque,” and “unfortunately left some important gaps,” the report said.
And whether he was able to act to curb transplants, “the abundant evidence before this committee suggests that the answer is yes,” he said.
“There was certainly enough credible information in the public domain … at least urged him to investigate and perhaps deal with many serious allegations.
“As Vice President, he certainly had a responsibility to do so.”
Ramaphosa did not immediately respond to the report, but said it “provides us with an opportunity to make a decisive blow in the era of national capture.”
“The occupation of the nation was really an attack on our democracy, which violated the rights of all men, women and children in this country.”
The investigation was triggered by a 2016 report by the then corrupt ombudswoman.
More than 1,430 individuals and institutions, including Zuma, were involved. Zuma has previously denied cheating.
Ramaphosa currently has four months to act on the recommendations of the Panel.
The first volume of the report was published in January and now the complete document is over 5,600 pages.
The report described Zuma as an “important player” in the high-level looting of state-owned enterprises that survived his nine-year tenure, which ended rudely in 2018 when he was forced to resign.
Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison last year for refusing to testify in front of an investigator.
He was granted parole just two months after he was imprisoned, but was imprisoned last July in a riot that killed more than 350 people.
-‘Pillage scheme’-
“I knew I had a question, so Zuma ran away from the committee,” the panel said.
The study shows how Zuma’s friend, the wealthy Indian-born Gupta brothers, were intertwined at the highest levels of the government and the dominant African National Congress, including influencing the appointment of ministers under Zuma. Revealed.
Two of the three Gupta tycoons were arrested in Dubai earlier this month and are facing a surrender to South Africa to face a trial.
“The obvious conclusion is that during this period, the ANC under President Zuma allowed, supported and enabled corruption and the capture of the state,” the report said.
When Zuma took over after being forced to resign from corruption, Ramaphosa declared anti-transplant war a priority for his administration and took office.
Ramaphosa in 2019 estimated that corruption could have cost South Africa about Rand 500 billion ($ 31.4 billion). This represents about one-tenth of the GDP of Africa’s most industrialized economy.
The final report will be published when Ramaphosa himself was involved in a scandal following his gorgeous game and ranch robbery two years ago.
Former spy chief Arthur Fraser claims he hid millions of dollars in cash on the couch and bribed the robber to avoid scrutiny to store large amounts of cash in his home. Was accused of corruption.
The scandal risks upsetting the bid for Ramaphosa’s second term as President of the ANC prior to the 2024 general election. He says he is a victim of “dirty tricks” and “threats” from people against his anti-transplant battle.
