Zuma like a cat on a hot tin roof with Commission of Inquiry into state capture

10 January 2018

President Jacob Zuma’s appointment of a legal Commission of Inquiry into state capture, as was recommended by the former Public Protector (PP) Thuli Madonsela’s report, is welcome, but it still is clearly only a desperate attempt by President Zuma to ensure his political survival by avoiding being recalled, says Dr Pieter Groenewald, leader of the FF Plus.

According to Dr Groenewald, the fact that the decision was announced late last night, just before the ANC’s NEC meeting, and the fact that President Zuma appealed the court’s ruling on the Commission, whereby he tried to prevent the Chief Justice from appointing the chairperson, indicate that he is like a cat on a hot tin roof.

“Asking the Chief Justice to decide on the chairperson, the position in which deputy Chief Justice Ray Zando has now been appointed, shows that President Zuma is willing to repudiate himself in an attempt to ensure his political survival by fending off a recall.

“The fact that he also wants to expand the framework of the initial recommendations in the PP’s report by saying that all forms of state capture and all persons involved in such activities must be thoroughly investigated is further proof of the fact that Zuma will do everything in his power to stay on as president of the country. By doing this, he is sending the message that he alone will not take all the blame for state capture.

“The FF Plus is of the opinion that everyone that is guilty of state capture and consequently corruption, must be called to account.

“The Commission’s framework must not be expanded to such an extent that the investigation cannot be effectively carried out and consequently allow Zuma to be indemnified against liability,” says Dr Groenewald.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus Leader, 10 January 2018