The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has welcomed the research undertaken by independent research organisation Public Affairs Research Institute (Pari) in collaboration with the South African Council of Churches (SACC), which exposes how State institutions have been “repurposed to serve the #ZumaPowerElite”.

In the damning report, Betrayal of the Promise: How South Africa is being stolen, the researchers warned that South Africa was in danger of a silent coup by “a rotten, dangerous and expanding powerful elite” who are concentrated around President Jacob Zuma and which has been allowed to flourish by an immoral government.

Outa COO Ben Theron stated that Outa supported the report as it fueled civil courage and civil activism to correct the trajectory of government’s failure to act in the best interests of the people.

He added that while others had heeded the warning signs of State capture by taking action against corruption and maladministration, Outa believed that  more sectors of society needed to get involved in realising the call to dismantle president Zuma’s captive structures.

“Outa therefore endorses this report and encourages all concerned citizens and civil society entities to do the same. The report is thorough and provides a scathing explanation of how State-owned entities are pillaged to enrich the Zuma power elite,” he said.

Many of the State entities highlighted in the Pari report, which lists 166 cases amounting to R17-billion of fraud and corruption between 2010 and 2016, are in Outa’s sights and some of the cases recorded form part of Outa’s investigations and actions being undertaken to correct the unwarranted conduct. 

“We will engage and partner with the SACC and Pari, to assist with necessary action in the ongoing journey to hold the perpetrators to account. It is also important to note that even when Zuma goes, there is a lot of work required to dismantle his structures and to halt the plundering networks that have permeated all levels of government,” he stated.