Activists say state capture is flourishing under the present government. [Picture: Reuters]
State capture has not ended, but is instead alive and kicking under the current administration. This is according to Defend Our Democracy’s Zaakirah Vadi.
The civil society group’s campaign manager spoke to Salaamedia in the wake of the fallout of Andre De Ruyter’s explosive interview with eNCA. In the interview, De Ruyter levelled allegations of corruption against senior officials and linked the scourge to the ANC.
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan later confirmed he had been approached by the former Eskom CEO on the issue of corruption. However, he told Newzroom Afrika, he could not act on “allusions”.
Mere days after the interview that sent De Ruyter off in the dark night, the Daily Maverick unearthed evidence of at least four criminal cartels believed to have been operating within Eskom. Also implicating at least two senior Cabinet ministers, it said the cartels were responsible for malpractice and sabotage at Eskom facilities.
“Patterns clearly point to one involvement of a minister, we strongly feel two are involved and think that both are involved, at the moment we have intelligence on this to provide evidence to confirm this,” the publication’s Kevin Bloom wrote in the first instalment of the Eskom Intelligence Files.
Put frankly, Vadi said, “State capture is not over. There’s a view that state capture was limited to a particular era and that era is over, but all indicators – not only in relation to Eskom, but in other sectors as well – we see a continuation of state capture”.
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Commission of inquiry?
De Ruyter’s allegations drew a wide-ranging reaction, from disappointment, anger and frustration to messages of support. President Cyril Ramaphosa himself was “most concerned” and wondered why De Ruyter declined to report corruption to law enforcement agencies.
Former statistician-general Pali Lehohla, meanwhile, said the allegations were so severe that they should lead to another commission of inquiry.
“Because he has revealed the secrets and this opens up another Zondo Commission. This is even deeper than the state capture commission if you think about it. This is plunging millions of households into serious energy hunger and De Ruyter has just opened up to that,” he told EWN.
Vadi reiterated the call for an investigation. She said the country needed to see law enforcement agencies “beginning to crack down” on corruption and suggested dedicated capacity within law enforcement agencies was needed “just to look at issues in relation to Eskom”.
But she said the idea of a whole new commission of inquiry to probe corruption at Eskom was an idea yet to be tested.
“While there’s always value in information that emerges through various commissions, I think that the time for action in terms of law enforcement work is well overdue.”
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Legal action
Since the eNCA interview, several senior officials within the ANC have seen red. After secretary general Fikile Mbalula flew off the handle, the party on Sunday threatened to file criminal charges against de Ruyter if he didn’t report his allegations to law enforcement agencies within a week.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said, “We draw attention to the provisions of Section 34 of the Prevention and Combating Corrupt Activities Act, 2004, which make it illegal for any person in authority not to report an act or information or corruption and criminality … The ANC urges Mr De Ruyter to fulfil his constitutional and legal obligations to officially report to the police any act of criminality and illegality he is aware of within the next seven days”.
But Vadi was convinced he had done what he could to combat corruption, and said de Ruyter should be classified as a whistleblower. The ANC’s Veteran’s League had made a similar call earlier in the week.
“In the case of De Ruyter, here is someone who has tried to challenge corruption within the organisation by his own account [and] has taken information to a particular minister and has tried to report it. In the course of all of this, faces cyanide poisoning as well. I think he could be classified as a whistleblower.”
She said the ANC had to be held accountable for the actions of its deployees in government.
“The governing party can no longer, as it has consistently done, try and separate and absolve itself of blame for the state of Eskom. It is ultimately members of the governing party who serve as ministers. All of these individuals have in some ways or form been central to decision- and policy-making as members of government in relation to Eskom,” said Vadi.
