South Africa’s top prosecutors have created a taskforce to investigate and prosecute matters arising from the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture following the release of the first part of the commission’s report two weeks ago, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced on Thursday.
The NPA, in a statement jointly released with the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) of the police – also known as the Hawks – said the taskforce’s work was underway to urgently review cases cited in the report and those already being followed upon by the authority’s Investigating Directorate.
The first part of the commission’s report, which was presented to President Cyril Ramaphosa by commission chairperson and acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, dealt extensively with alleged corruption, maladministration, fraud and money laundering at the troubled South African Airways and its subsidiaries, as well as at the state-owned power utility Eskom and the South African Revenue Service.
According to the statement, the commission’s printed text-in-evidence, investigations and affidavits presented a “Herculean task”, but one that the prosecuting authority was preparing to undertake.
“The taskforce’s main focus is on progress and impact. It builds on the work already done within the NPA over the past few years, in collaboration with the Zondo Commission and other law enforcement partners,” the NPA said.
“The NPA and DPCI are systematically reviewing the commission’s findings and recommendations, with a view to investigating and building cases for criminal prosecution against those who broke the law – be they from the public, or private sectors,” the prosecutors said.
They said this “will include, where appropriate, the freezing and forfeiture of the proceeds of crimes,”
“The commission’s reports highlight the extent of suspected criminality flowing from State Capture (corruption), and the scale and nature of the task at hand to hold those responsible to account,” the authority said.
NM/jn/APA