South Africa: Ramaphosa says ‘an ex-president’ objected to his State Capture Inquiry appearance

Cyril Ramaphosa has shared an opening statement with the State Capture Inquiry, and his first port of call was to throw shade at an unnamed former president – but you can perhaps guess who that is…

‘One former president objected to my State Capture Inquiry appearance’ – Cyril Ramaphosa

The 68-year-old, appearing at the Zondo Commission for the very first time, made it clear that he was happy to assist the panel when it comes to shedding more light on state capture. This is a marked difference from the last president who took to the hot-seat, and Jacob Zuma faces a possible jail sentence for skipping proceedings. Ramaphosa started by saying:

“I am here to assist the Zondo Commission. When I confirmed I was appearing, I spoke to a colleague of mine – a former head of state. His reaction was ‘ah, how can you do that?’ – I told them that THIS is how democracy works. None of us should shy away from appearing at these Commissions. I am here in my capacity as the ANC leader.”

“The State Capture Inquiry is an instrument to understand the nature and extent of state capture and to hold those responsible to account, and to take the necessary measures to ensure these events never happen again in South Africa. State capture has eroded the values of our Constitution, and if allowed to continue, it would threaten our entire future.”

‘Corruption not a unique factor to South Africa’, Zondo Commission told

However, Ramaphosa is still trying to implement some form of damage control. Cyril cannot openly admit his party is dodgy, and he spent most of Wednesday trying to find the right balance – and pointed to previous ‘corrupt regimes’:

“The ANC knew the State Capture Inquiry would cause us great pain in the public eye. But the party believes that all members must assist the Inquiry. I’m not here to make excuses, nor will I defend the indefensible. Corruption is not a new phenomenon in South Africa – apartheid was both morally and financially corrupt.”

“We recognise that some party members have been complicit in corruption. We have articulated these issues openly and publicly. But recognising these facts doesn’t make the ANC uniquely corrupt. Various other organisations also have to confront this issue. South Africa is also not the only country in the world that has to deal with corruption.”

Cyril Ramaphosa revisits ‘first allegation’ of state capture

The President also confirmed what he believed was the first muttering of ‘state capture’. That came way back in 2011, when Minister Fikile Mbalula raised some concerns about the influence of the Gupta brothers.

“It is worth mentioning that one of the earliest claims of state capture involving the Guptas came from a statement shared by Fikile Mbalula in 2011. However, this complaint was not taken any further by the ANC. At the time, no specific concerns about the ‘capture of our state’ were. But, over time, these allegations piled up.”

“As the volume of evidence mounted, the issue of state capture became a focal point of discussion. Those guilty of corruption seek to keep their actions hidden. In the face of vehement denials, it is difficult to confront these figures.”