Raymond Zondo, who served as Chief Justice in the past, has issued a stinging assessment of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership. He has expressed his profound dissatisfaction with the continuation of the nomination of individuals who have been tied to state capture to posts in the Cabinet. Zondo, who served as the chairperson of the historic Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, expressed that it had been one of the most difficult experiences of his life to preside over the swearing-in of ministers who had been directly embroiled in severe allegations of corruption.
Zondo broke his silence on the post-commission developments while speaking at a public debate on governance and accountability in Pretoria. He warned that the reluctance to move forcefully against individuals who were fingered in the investigation is sending the wrong message to South Africans and the rest of the world.
I swore allegiance to the Constitution when I took the oath. “It was excruciating for me to stand there and swear in people who I knew had been recommended for prosecution or disciplinary action by the very commission that I led,” commented Zondo. “It was a painful experience.” As if the work that we had been doing for the past four years was of no consequence.
In its report, which was completed in 2022, the State Capture Commission found harsh findings against several senior officials in the African National Congress (ANC), and it recommended investigations and reforms to prevent abuses of power of a similar nature. Despite this, a significant number of those listed have not only evaded prosecution but also been re-elected or reappointed to important positions within the administration.
The comments made by Zondo have revived a heated debate regarding the constitutionality of political responsibility and the function of the presidency in the maintenance of ethical governance. Zondo’s statements have been supported by civil society organisations such as Corruption Watch and the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, which have called for an investigation by the parliamentary body to be conducted into the reasons why a significant number of the commission’s recommendations have not been followed.
In spite of the fact that he ran for office on a platform that emphasised anti-corruption and renewal, President Ramaphosa has mostly refrained from commenting on the matter. As a result of internal ANC factional pressures and fears of destabilising the party in advance of the 2026 elections, analysts believe that his hesitation to act is the cause of his unwillingness to act.
The people who trusted the commission to clean up the system have been betrayed, according to Zondo, who added, “It is a betrayal.” “When reports are buried in dust and those who stole from the public are not held accountable for their actions, justice is not properly served.”
It is quite possible that his unusual public censure would increase the amount of pressure that is being put on the presidency to reconsider the findings of the State Capture report and to take definite actions towards re-establishing trust in public institutions.