Unburden Panel on State Capture

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa says the SA Council of Churches’ belief that the country is on the brink of becoming a mafia state is worrying. Last week, the SACC’s "unburdening panel" released findings that indicated a powerful elite linked to President Jacob Zuma was "systematically siphoning state assets". The panel consisted of clergy who heard confessions and received information about allegations of state capture. Ramaphosa has again called for a judicial inquiry into state capture. Former public protector Thuli Madonsela recommended in her State of Capture report, released last yea, that a judicial inquiry should be established to look into claims that Zuma’s friends, the Guptas, had undue influence over his decisions, including his appointment of ministers. Again last week, a damning report called Betrayal of the Promise: How South Africa is Being Stolen was released by the State Capacity Research Project. The report says it is now clear that while the ideological focus of the ANC is ‘radical economic transformation’, in practice Jacob Zuma’s presidency is aimed at repurposing state institutions to consolidate the Zuma-centred power elite. To look at these reports we are joined on the line by: Bishop Ziphozihle Siwa: President of the South African Council of Churches and presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa: David Lewis: Corruption Watch’s executive director: Sikhulekile Duma :Centre for Complex Systems in Transition, Stellenbosch University