Zondo Commission: R17.2bn recovered, but where are the convictions?
· The South African
The Presidency has defended the nearly R1 billion spent on the Zondo Commission, revealing that government agencies have recovered R17.2 billion linked to state capture investigations.
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Presidency director-general Phindile Baleni told Parliament on Friday, 9 October, that the recoveries far exceeded the cost of the four-year inquiry.
She presented the figures while briefing MPs on the Presidency’s annual report.
WHERE DID THE R17.2 BILLION COME FROM?
Baleni said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) accounted for approximately R8.2 billion in recoveries.
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) recovered another R5.4 billion, while the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) contributed R3.5 billion.
The amounts represent recoveries by government agencies linked to the commission’s work, rather than money recovered by the inquiry itself.
“This is one of those that we are absolutely proud of. The commission that has been set up has more than repaid the costs that were incurred,” Baleni said.
She told MPs that the inquiry had also contributed to institutional reforms.
The commission, chaired by former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, investigated allegations of state capture, corruption and fraud involving government departments and state-owned entities between 2018 and 2022.
Its final report detailed widespread wrongdoing and recommended criminal investigations, prosecutions and changes to government institutions.
WHAT ABOUT STATE CAPTURE PROSECUTIONS?
Despite the financial recoveries, the pace of prosecutions remains under scrutiny.
In August, National Director of Public Prosecutions Andy Mothibi told Parliament that 99 people were facing prosecution in state capture matters, while investigators were still pursuing 56 cases.
Mothibi acknowledged that prosecutors needed to do more but said lengthy legal battles had delayed progress.
The Presidency previously reported that 80% of the 60 actions in its implementation plan were either complete, substantially complete or on track.
However, Baleni acknowledged another concern during Friday’s briefing.
The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), which forms part of government’s response to state capture, has itself faced scrutiny at the Madlanga Commission.
As previously reported by The South African, the commission heard allegations involving former IDAC head Andrea Johnson and the handling of investigations into senior police officials.
Baleni said government needed stronger safeguards to prevent institutions established to fight corruption from losing direction.
She also conceded that corruption levels in South Africa remained unacceptably high, despite the recoveries and reforms.