Day One of the commission of inquiry into State Capture wrapped with the inquiry confirming it will use reports by various institutions that investigated issues related to State Capture.
The commission kicked off on Monday morning by outlining the rules and what will happen during the duration of the process.
Commission chair Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo raised his frustration with the lack of cooperation from government, while lawyers representing those implicated requested for more time to prepare for submissions.
There are various institutions that have investigated the alleged influence of the Gupta family on the state, including the Public Protector, Treasury, SOEs like Eskom and Transnet – even parliamentary committees.
The reports from these institutions will be made available to this commission because they have direct relevance to the work of the inquiry.
The commission’s legal counsel Advocate Thandi Norman said: “All the reports will be submitted to report their existence, to request the chairperson to admit them provisionally and to request that, if recorded, those reports and documents submitted are what they purport to be.”
Day two of the commission continues on Tuesday with former acting chief procurement at National Treasury Ndleleni Mathebula expected to take the stand.
Former president Jacob Zuma, capture don Ajay Gupta, fixer Fana Hlongwane, Zuma loyalist and ex-Presidency official Lakela Kaunda and Gupta enabler Lynne Brown have all recruited serious legal muscle.
Mike Hellens, Muzi Sikhakhane and Jaap Cilliers don’t come cheap, nor have they come as friends of the inquiry.
Prepare for a long, bloody haul of an inquiry that according to Dep Chief Justice, would not be completed in 180 days and that he will consult the presidency to amend this.
