ZONDO Commission – 1 page summary of first four reports
As South Africans get set for the fifth instalment of the state capture report, here is a reminder of what was mentioned, and those implicated, in the first four volumes.
PART 1 looked at South African Airways (SAA) and related companies, the Gupta-owned The New Age newspaper, and the South African Revenue Service (Sars). Former president Jacob Zuma was implicated for the first time and would feature prominently in reports that followed. Several high-profile allies of Zuma, including former SAA board chairperson Dudu Myeni and ex Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) CEO Mzwanele Manyi, were named. Zuma and Tom Moyane were found to have played critical roles in collapsing the institution. Myeni and former SAA head of technical operations Yakhe Kwinana were found to have run the airline into the ground. Manyi was accused of enabling state capture during his 18-month tenure as CEO at state communications entity GCIS. Under his leadership, the Gupta-owned New Age newspaper allegedly received millions of rand in advertising and sponsorships from the government.
PART 2 dealt with evidence related to corruption allegations at Transnet and Denel. The report implicated former public enterprise ministers Malusi Gigaba and Lynne Brown as well as former Transnet group CEO Brian Molefe. It found Gigaba lied about not knowing the Guptas, claiming he had known the controversial family for years and used his position to appoint their allies in strategic positions at state-owned companies. It alleged Brown also lied when she denied knowing the Guptas, saying evidence before it proved she helped them loot state resources at Denel.
PART 3 was dedicated to corruption allegations at Bosasa, later renamed African Global Operations. The company’s executives were found to have used their connections with politicians to score lucrative government contracts for years. Mineral resources and energy minister Gwede Mantashe, former minister Nomvula Mokonyane and Zuma were among the prominent names implicated in the report. Former company executive Angelo Agrizzi alleged Mokonyane received annual Christmas groceries from Bosasa. The report said Mantashe enjoyed security upgrades and renovations at his homes
PART 4 dealt with, among other things, the capture of Eskom and the Free State’s controversial R1-billion housing project. Brown was again implicated, named as a key figures in enabling the capture of Eskom by the Gupta family. The report said Zuma’s decision to replace Ngoako Ramatlhodi with Mosebenzi Zwane as mineral resources minister was probably influenced by the Guptas. Among its recommendations was for criminal charges to be instituted against members of the Gupta family, and the removal of Zizi Kodwa from the deputy state security minister portfolio. The report also called on the government to seek legal advice on how to recover the R255-million wasted on the Free State housing project.
