South Africa’s Ramaphosa to respond to findings of transplant report

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(Bloomberg) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will release his response to the recommendations of a judicial panel following his investigation into government corruption.

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A 76-page document outlining how the government will respond is being released « shortly » and Ramaphosa will address the nation on Sunday evening, the presidency said in a statement, without giving an exact time.

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A commission of inquiry headed by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has spent four years probing corruption during former President Jacob Zuma’s nine-year term – a practice known locally as state capture. He recommended the investigation of dozens of ministers, government officials and businessmen.

Read: Ramaphosa remained mum as South Africa lost billions, judge says

« The President’s Response outlines the steps the government has taken to implement the commission’s recommendations regarding actions against state capture perpetrators and reforms to prevent the future occurrence of state capture. state,” the presidency said.

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The so-called Zondo Commission has heard from hundreds of witnesses about how state departments and enterprises were plundered of billions of rand by the former president’s allies, with his tacit consent. Meanwhile, Ramaphosa said at least 500 billion rand ($28 billion) had been stolen from the state.

The criminal justice system has also been systematically gutted, with Zuma allies appointed to key positions, leaving it unable to hold perpetrators to account, according to testimony. Zuma has denied any wrongdoing.

Review of Ramaphosa

Zondo was scathing in his criticism of Ramaphosa for failing to speak out against the looting in the five years he served as Zuma’s deputy, and the ruling African National Congress, which he said had done nothing to stamp out corruption in its ranks.

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He found that several senior officials, including Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe and Deputy Minister of State Security Zizi Kodwa, had accepted payments from companies seeking contracts with the government. State and had recommended that prosecutors consider indicting them.

Ramaphosa is expected to seek re-election as ANC leader in December, limiting his room to act against other party heavyweights whose support he may need to win the leadership race.

Mantashe and Kodwa, who are closely linked to the president, both denied any wrongdoing and said they would seek judicial review of Zondo’s finding. Ramaphosa will refrain from firing anyone until the legal challenges are over, his spokesman Vincent Magwenya told reporters last week.

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While Ramaphosa remains the favorite in the party leadership race, his image has been tarnished by a scandal over the theft of foreign currency from his game farm in 2020. Opposition parties have accused him of failing to correctly reported the crime and wondered if he may have violated tax or exchange control rules.

Law enforcement is looking into the case and parliament is awaiting a panel’s recommendation on whether to pursue impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa.

—With help from Mike Cohen.

(Updates with conclusions, recommendations in fifth paragraph)