REPORT: A brief look into the alleged state capture

The release of the report was meant to coincide with Madonsela’s last day in office as Public Protector. She assumed the position in October 2009.

 The ‘state capture’ debacle refers to the alleged influence of the politically-connected Gupta family in the governance of the country, the ruling party, and the president. The Public Protector’s probe first came about when The Dominican Order - of Catholic priests and brothers in Southern Africa - and the DA, approached her office to investigate state affairs, the awarding of contracts to companies linked to the Guptas, and Cabinet appointments. 

The family, which has been the subject of many news headlines recently, first came into the spotlight back in 2013 when 217 passengers were flown in a chartered jetliner to the Waterkloof air-force base – for a wedding. The incident was then referred to in the media as ‘Guptagate’.  A government investigation report into the landing concluded that it had been authorized after the president’s name was illegally invoked.

Click here to read the Justice Department's FULL REPORT.

In March this year, deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas released a statement on social media, claiming that he was offered the position of Finance Minister by a member of the Guptas to which he declined. Former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor then came out alleging she was offered the Public Enterprises Minister post in return for business once in office. 

These claims came after a cabinet reshuffle that saw the sudden removal of Nhlanhla Nene from Office, followed by a brief tenure (four days long) by the current Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Des Van Rooyen, before the position was finally occupied by Gordhan. 

Responding to a question posed by the Economic Freedom Fighters in the National Assembly this year, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said he was not ‘captured’ by the influences of the Guptas. “Firstly, as a representative, and as the head of the National Treasury, I stand here as a free, uncaptured individual – by anybody. Our job as the National Treasury is to serve South Africa as a whole,” he said at the time. 

Objections 

The looming release of the State Capture report has been met with objections from both the President and the Gupta’s legal team. A letter reportedly received from family lawyer Gert Van der Merwe read: “If you choose to include that my clients were in any way whatsoever involved in inappropriate conduct under circumstances where we have tendered evidence to the contrary and under circumstances where we had a clear right to contradict the evidence you have gathered, you do at your own peril and at your own risk.”

Late yesterday, President Zuma’s office announced that it would apply for an urgent interdict to halt the publishing of the document after requesting Madonsela to postpone the inquest to personally interview the people she had spoken to.

Madonsela will not be releasing her draft report into allegations of state capture this afternoon while her last presser is being broadcast today.