Capture hearings to start in August
Image: Muntu Vilakazi/Gallo Images
The commission of inquiry into state capture plans to have its first public hearings in August‚ its chairman‚ Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo‚ said yesterday.
In his third media briefing since appointed chairman in January‚ Zondo also said it was unlikely the commission would be able to finalise its investigation and present its report to the president within 180 days, as required by the public protector.
He said the commission had been hard at work with a team of investigators preparing to start its investigations while the commission’s legal team was preparing the content and sequence of the evidence to be presented.
On the issue of the 180 days’ deadline‚ Zondo said with the information it had‚ the commission would need 18 months to two years to finalise its task.
“I have raised the issue with the presidency.” Zondo said one option would be for the court to be approached to vary the 180-day timeframe.
The timeframe was contained in former public protector Thuli Madonsela’s report into state capture that she released in 2016.
Madonsela ordered that the president appoint a commission of inquiry to investigate matters she identified in the report.
She said the commission should complete its task and present the report to the president within 180 days.
