FILE PHOTO: Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo at the State Capture Commission. PICTURE: Gallo Images / Sowetan / Veli Nhlapo
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CAPE TOWN: Mr Mboweni said the Zondo commission must now get to work and finish its work.
The minister of finance, Mr Tito Mboweni has made it clear there will be no new money granted to the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture.
Mr Mboweni made the remarks during a post-budget media briefing on Wednesday afternoon.
His remarks, Mr Mboweni came after the High Court this week granted the commission a three-month extension after it said it had lost three months’ work due to the COVID-19 hard lockdown.
It must complete its report by 30 June but it will have to rely on the Department of Justice and Correctional Services for any further funding.
Mr Mboweni said the Zondo commission must now get to work and finish its work.
“We made it very clear when we extended the R63 million to the commission of inquiry into state capture that as far as we were concerned, that was the amount that they must use to finish their work and closeout and finish,” he said.
Mr Mboweni expressed concern about the commission’s repeated requests for more time to complete its work and compared it unfavourably to the inquiry into the Public Investment Corporation, which has long since delivered its final report.
“This perpetual extension of inquiry into state capture is not really conducive – they must finish their work,” he further lamented.
The so-called state capture commission is by far the most expensive inquiry since the advent of democracy with the last report in October indicating that it has used close to R800 million.
During the briefing, treasury director-general, Mr Dondo Mogajane indicated that the commission must source its funding from the Department of Justice and Correctional Services’ budget.
