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The latest report of the State Capture Commission has further exposed the extent of State capture under ANC rule. Once again, numerous ANC leaders and the party itself have been implicated in the scourge of State capture, which has damaged the fabric of South African society over the past decade.

Notable examples of implicated officials include:

• Gwede Mantashe who the report recommends be investigated for ‘the offence of corruption’ after he was provided with ‘free’ security upgrades at his personal properties;
• Nomvula Mokonyane who the report recommends be charged and prosecuted for corruption;
• Cedrick Frolick who facilitated the unlawful awarding of tenders; and
• Jacob Zuma who was found to have violated the Constitution, and the report recommends be investigated for potential criminal prosecution.

While the DA welcomes these findings, South Africans have long known the extent of corruption in our society. What they want to see now is action, with implicated persons swiftly prosecuted and placed behind bars. Unfortunately, many South Africans have begun to lose hope that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is up to this task.

There has been a complete failure by the NPA to prosecute high level corruption cases. The institution appears so hollowed out that it has lost the capability of tackling the caseload that now sits before it.

South Africans need to see action, and the DA intends to play its role by ensuring that justice will be brought to bear on all those responsible for state capture. We will be going beyond mere talk and will be tabling a raft of private members bills before Parliament this year. These Bills will be aimed at addressing the scourge of state capture once and for all.

The DA will be accelerating the introduction of our comprehensive Anti-Corruption Commission private members bill, which seeks to establish a brand-new Chapter 9 institution. This Commission will be tasked with the function of prosecuting high-level corruption cases, and unlike the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation (HAWKS), will be completely independent.

The establishment of this commission will expedite the prosecution of complex high-level corruption cases and alleviate some of the burden on our strained NPA.

We look forward to sharing further details on this and other DA corruption fighting bills in due course.

Issued by Adv Glynnis Breytenbach MP - DA Shadow Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development