ANC to blame for Zondo commission recommendations gathering dust, says Steenhuisen
DA leader John Steenhuisen says there have been no consequences for the 98 ANC members whose names featured in the report of the commission of inquiry into state capture.
Steenhuisen says none of them has been reprimanded by the ANC or their names handed to law enforcement for investigation.
Steenhuisen made the remarks during a media briefing to outline the steps the DA will take to enforce the findings of the Zondo commission.
June marked one year since the commission’s chair Raymond Zondo handed the final report to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The commission had cost taxpayers R1 billion.
Steenhusien says the process to implement a raft of recommendations and structural changes to South Africa’s state institutions and oversight bodies has come to a grinding halt.
"In the National Assembly, of the 16 recommendations made by the Zondo report to bolster and fix Parliament’s model of accountability over the executive, the majority of the substantive and immediately implementable recommendations have already been voted down by the ANC.
"In a briefing to parliament’s Select Committee on Security and Justice on its annual performance plan earlier this year, National Director of Prosecutions Shamila Batohi and officials from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said that the institution does not have the skills or the legal powers to adequately probe state capture. To add insult to injury, there still exists no truly independent corruption-busting body similar to the Scorpions, which the ANC disbanded years ago."
ALSO READ: Tragedy hits two Ekurhuleni schools as pupils die by suicide
He added that ANC party members who were implicated in the Zondo commission were awarded positions in the party's highest ranks during its recent national conference.
"The Zondo commission found enough evidence for former Minister of Water and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane, to be investigated and prosecuted for corruption for receiving bribes from (facilities management company) Bosasa. She now serves as the ANC’s 1st deputy secretary-general.
"Former Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, has been found to have used R3 million from National Lottery grant money to purchase a luxury property in Johannesburg. He currently serves as the ANC’s secretary-general.
"Former ANC treasurer-general, Paul Mashatile, (reportedly) lives a life of lavish luxury funded by state capture corruption accused, Edwin Sodi. He currently serves as deputy president of both the ANC and the Republic of South Africa, with his eyes on the Presidency itself."
Steenhuisen believes a fully-functional legislature does not serve the ANC’s interests.
"A year after the report was tabled in Parliament, there have been no substantive changes to the way the ANC conducts the work of the institution. It is important to highlight that it is the ANC that has no interest in a Parliament that functions well. The party has blocked every attempt to exercise executive oversight using its numbers in the House.
"In fact, the ANC has taken a hostile posture towards the standing of the Commission’s work, often labelling it has judicial over-reach and relegating to simple recommendations which can be ignored."
