Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. (Gulshan Khan/AFP)
As the country moves a few steps closer to justice with the arrests of leading figures in state capture there are many others that must still be charged.
The latest on the growing list include former mineral resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane at the end of September. He was charged with fraud and corruption related to the R280-million Estina dairy farm project.
The Mail & Guardian reported on 28 September that the Investigating Directorate said this was “a step closer to delivering justice” to Free State farmers who should have benefitted from the programme.
Some of the other arrests include former Eskom and Transnet executives Brian Molefe and Anoj Singh, who were released on bail of R50 000 at the Palm Ridge specialised commercial crimes court at the end of August, in relation to a fraud and corruption case involving the state logistics company.
They appeared alongside former Regiments Capital directors Niven Pillay and Litha Nyhonyha. The state did not oppose bail for any of the accused, who handed themselves over to police earlier in the morning.
In May, former Transnet chief executive Siyabonga Gama, former chief financial officer Garry Pita, group treasurer Phetelo Ramosebudi, Regiments partner and former Trillian executive Eric Wood and Trillian Asset Management director Daniel Roy were charged.
But there is still a long list of people the Zondo commission state capture report stated should be prosecuted.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that Zondo’s recommendations may not be implemented by the 15 October deadline.
“We are looking to see how it touches on our own implementation deadlines … [but] the political will is there. When we bring the implementation plan to parliament, that is when the will of the government will become clear that, indeed, we are serious and we have the will to do so.”
Ramaphosa stressed that formulating a policy response meant working on about 385 recommendations put forward by Zondo in the six-volume report.
“Will we be able to meet the deadline of October 15? The desire is that we should,” he said.
The president was replying to a question from Inkatha Freedom Party MP Mkhuleko Hlengwa about whether he was prepared to give a ballpark figure on what it would cost to act on Zondo’s recommendations to combat and prosecute grand corruption, as well as a commitment that the executive would move at speed to do so.