South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s long-awaited appearance before the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture will take place in April, his office announced on Wednesday.
The presidency said Ramaphosa would give evidence in his capacity as leader of the ruling African National Congress on 22-23 April, and as leader of the country on 28-29 April.
“This is in line with the president’s many public statements in which he has expressed his willingness to testify before the commission,” the presidency said.
State capture inquiry chairperson deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo has in the past two years been holding hearings on state capture (corruption) during the 10-year reign of former President Jacob Zuma which ended in 2018.
During this period Ramaphosa was both state and party deputy president to Zuma who was forced out of office by his party following state capture allegations in February 2018.
Zuma, who authorised the formation of the inquiry commission when he was still in office, appeared before the commission last year but has since boycotted the hearings, claiming Zondo was biased against him.
His application for court relief from attending the inquiry was not entertained by the country’s Constitutional Court, which ordered the former president to attend the hearings.
However, the former president has defied the court ruling, leading the Zondo commission to recommend that Zuma be locked up for two years for contempt of court.
Hearing on the commission’s recommendation to jail Zuma will be held in the Constitutional Court on Thursday, the court announced on Wednesday.
NM/jn/APA