Misplaced Pages

#416583

115-647: The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture , Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State , better known as the Zondo Commission or State Capture Commission , was a public inquiry established in January 2018 by former President Jacob Zuma to investigate allegations of state capture , corruption , and fraud in the public sector in South Africa . By December 2020,

230-701: A domino effect on the South African Communist Party and the Congress of South African Trade Unions, which have floundered and fractured in the face of damaging charges against a man they ardently backed as the country's next president. The trial has been fought against the backdrop of a bitter succession war between Mbeki and Zuma. Both have been fatally wounded. Mbeki's support in the ANC has crumbled... But even Zuma's most diehard supporters privately acknowledge that he cannot now be president... By early 2006 during

345-590: A South African High Court, and just after Judge President Dunstan Mlambo ordered al-Bashir's arrest, the state's lawyer told the court that he had left the country. His plane left from Waterkloof Air Force Base , presumably with the government's knowledge and reportedly with Zuma's explicit approval. When it was criticised for this breach, the South African government argued that the ICC was used unfairly against African heads of state while failing to hold Western leaders to

460-476: A draft of the Public Protector's provisional report had been leaked the previous week, or to dissatisfaction with Zuma's administration more generally. Others suggested that the booing reflected frustration with the lack of socioeconomic change under the ANC government since Mandela's presidency, or that it reflected enduring divisions within the ANC; the crowd also chanted Mbeki's name. In a public statement,

575-535: A formal finding that the project will produce public benefit. This procedure was established by the law on expropriation enacted on 7 July 1833, which extended an earlier law enacted in 1810. A number of historically important public inquiries have taken place in South Africa since the advent of full democracy in 1994. A number of which have looked into national scale events such as systematic human rights abuses during apartheid or wide scale corruption . In

690-601: A formal member of BRIC, which was then renamed BRICS , and Zuma attended the group's third summit meeting in Sanya , China, in 2011. South Africa's admission followed a concerted campaign for membership and has been described as "a huge diplomatic coup" and "the most important foreign policy achievement of the Zuma administration". During South Africa's tenure on the United Nations Security Council , Zuma's administration

805-478: A former member of the SACP, Zuma has described himself as a socialist and became president with the support of a left-wing coalition. Analysts have claimed that he has bolstered populism in South Africa. From 2017, at the tail-end of his presidency, his rhetoric and policy priorities became more leftist under what is known as the "radical economic transformation" (RET) programme of the ANC of this period. Zuma announced

920-412: A fraction of these requests. The political decision whether to appoint a public inquiry into an event was found to be dependent on several factors. The first is the extent of media coverage of the event; those that receive more media interest are more likely to be inquired. Second, since the appointment of a public inquiry is typically made by government ministers, events that involve allegations of blame on

1035-435: A government, and tend to lose credibility when they find no fault on the part of the government. In France, any major project which requires the compulsory acquisition of private property must, before being approved, be the subject of a public inquiry (usually by the prefect of the region or department in which the project will take place); the favourable outcome of such an inquiry is a déclaration d'utilité publique ,

1150-548: A large margin. He held both positions until 1997, having been re-elected provincial chairperson in 1996. Zuma was elected deputy president of the ANC at the party's 50th National Conference in Mafikeng in December 1997, and was subsequently appointed deputy president of South Africa in June 1999, pursuant to the 1999 general election . Zuma served under newly elected President Mbeki and

1265-549: A nuclear deal with Russian nuclear agency Rosatom which concluded in September 2014 but was ruled unlawful by the Western Cape High Court in 2017. Zuma's administration pursued a number of structural economic policy reforms, but critics characterised them as "investor-unfriendly", and most were met significant opposition. His reforms included the increased regulation of private security companies . He also increased

SECTION 10

#1732852719417

1380-649: A number of African National Congress (ANC) political activities. This confirmed previous testimony given by the Former Chairperson of the High-Level Panel of Review into the SSA, Sydney Mufamadi. Jafta stated that at least R 9 billion (roughly equivalent to US$ 758.7 million) of the SAA's fixed assets were "not to be found and that R125-million could not be accounted for in the 2017/18 financial year." Prior to Jafta's testimony

1495-485: A presidential pardon in April 2008 when Mbeki was president, and he continued to lobby for a pardon during Zuma's presidency, saying it was unfair that he had been convicted while neither Zuma nor the implicated arms company had been taken to trial. The ANC won the national election on 22 April 2009 by a slightly diminished majority of 65.90%, with Zuma having campaigned under the theme "Continuity and Change". His appointment

1610-507: A protracted dispute, did so, and was replaced by newly elected ANC Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe , who led an interim administration while Zuma campaigned for the 2009 election. In January 2009, the Supreme Court of Appeal found that the charges against Zuma were not unlawful, contrary to the ruling of the lower court. However, the NPA formally withdrew the charges in the same week that Zuma

1725-558: A showerhead in Zapiro cartoons. Although Zuma had been fired as national deputy president, he retained the ANC deputy presidency, and internal factions began to coalesce around him and Mbeki. Between 2005 and 2007, their rivalry deepened into what Susan Booysen called "a brutal and all-consuming disagreement between two major ANC groupings". Although the corruption and rape allegations were considered politically damaging, Zuma continued to enjoy considerable support from left-wing elements of

1840-436: A spy involved in a conspiracy against him. During the third day of Zuma's testimony he accused the commission of being biased against him and threatened to withdraw his cooperation. On the fourth day, Zuma's legal team announced that it would be withdrawing from the commission, but later the same day announced that he had changed his mind and would return to give additional testimony at a later date. Following Zuma's testimony to

1955-520: A week after the Polokwane conference, the NPA reinstated charges against Zuma and served him an indictment to stand trial on 12 fraud charges, two corruption charges, and one charge each of racketeering and money laundering . According to the Constitution, he would have been rendered ineligible for the national presidency had he been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment. However, on 12 September 2008,

2070-423: A woman that they mistook for her. By October 2008, Zuma had been acquitted of rape and was no longer subject to corruption charges. However, this did little to lighten the rivalry between Mbeki and Zuma. A Mail & Guardian analysis stated: The political damage [of events of recent months] is incalculable, with the ruling African National Congress now an openly divided and faltering movement. This has had

2185-404: Is responsible for financing the commission – lodged, and then withdrew, a legal challenge to the application for an extension. Another extension was granted to the commission on 28 December, giving it until 28 February 2022 to hand over the report to Ramaphosa. The first part of the report was handed over to Ramaphosa on 4 January 2022. The second part was handed over on 1 February. On 23 February,

2300-883: The Sunday Times (R6 million), the Citizen (R5 million), the Sunday Sun (R5 million), the Sunday Independent (R5 million), and the Sunday World (R5 million). Zuma said in 2005: For a period of five years my person has been subjected to all types of allegations and innuendo, paraded through the media and other corridors of influence without these allegations having being [ sic ] tested. I have thereby been denied my constitutional right to reply and defend myself. In December 2008, Zuma sued Zapiro for R7 million over his controversial rape of Lady Justice cartoon, bringing

2415-679: The 2009 general election and took office on 9 May. The criminal charges against him were formally withdrawn the same week. As president, he launched the R4-trillion National Infrastructure Plan and signed a controversial nuclear power deal with the Russian government, which was blocked by the Western Cape High Court in 2017. As a former member of the South African Communist Party , he increasingly relied on left-wing populist rhetoric, and in his 2017 State of

SECTION 20

#1732852719417

2530-600: The African National Congress (ANC) from 2007 to 2017. Zuma was born in the rural region of Nkandla , which is now part of the KwaZulu-Natal province and the centre of Zuma's support base. He joined the ANC at the age of 17 in 1959 and spent ten years in Robben Island Prison as a political prisoner . He went into exile in 1975 and was ultimately appointed head of the ANC's intelligence department. After

2645-581: The BRICS grouping has been described as a major triumph for Zuma, and he has been praised for his HIV/AIDS policy. Zuma's presidency was beset by controversy, especially during his second term. In 2014, the Public Protector found that Zuma had improperly benefited from state expenditure on upgrades to his Nkandla homestead , and in 2016, the Constitutional Court ruled that Zuma had failed to uphold

2760-537: The South African Development Community (SADC) should "force" Zimbabwean leaders to reach an agreement, if necessary. In 2010, Zuma called for international sanctions against Mugabe and his allies to be lifted. After a March 2013 meeting with Mugabe in Pretoria , he highlighted the commonalities between his and Mugabe's political parties, telling the press, "We share the same values, we went through

2875-505: The South African State Security Agency (SSA) made national headlines for the amount of state funds used irregularly, breadth of controversial clandestine activities, and overt support the agency gave to president Zuma during his presidency. The acting director-general of the SSA, Loyiso Jafta, testified that it was highly a politicised agency following its formation in 2009 and that was used to improperly fund and support

2990-556: The debt-to-GDP ratio increasing from 28% at the start of his presidency to just over 50% in the week of his resignation. Nedbank , one of South Africa's largest banks, estimates that poor policy decisions, maladministration, and corruption during Zuma's second term alone cost the South African economy R470 billion (US$ 33.7 billion). Contracts with the consulting firms McKinsey & Company , KPMG , and Deloitte were linked to alleged corruption in state-owned enterprises . McKinsey & Company eventually reached an agreement with

3105-691: The 1976 Soweto uprising . He became a full member of the ANC National Executive Committee in 1977, and a member of the ANC's Politico-Military Council when it was formed in 1983. He was also Deputy Chief Representative of the ANC in Mozambique, a post he occupied until the signing of the Nkomati Accord between the Mozambican and South African governments in 1984. After the Accord was signed, he

3220-539: The ANC National Executive Committee recalled Zuma. After a fifth vote of no confidence in Parliament , he resigned on 14 February 2018 and was replaced by Ramaphosa the next day. Shortly after his resignation, on 16 March 2018, the National Prosecuting Authority announced that it would reinstate corruption charges against Zuma in relation to the 1999 Arms Deal. He pleaded not guilty on 26 May 2021, but

3335-489: The ANC leadership condemned. Zuma became known for singing the apartheid-era struggle song " Umshini wami " (English: Bring Me My Machine Gun ) with his supporters during these informal rallies. Likewise, during the rape trial, Zuma supporters gathered outside the courthouse and sometimes clashed with smaller groups of anti-rape protesters. Zuma supporters were seen carrying posters questioning Khwezi's integrity, burning photos of her, and on one occasion throwing stones at

3450-482: The ANC was banned. That year, he was arrested with a group of 45 recruits near Zeerust in western Transvaal , currently part of the North West Province . Zuma was convicted of conspiring to overthrow the apartheid government and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment, which he served on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela and other notable ANC leaders also imprisoned during that time. While imprisoned, Zuma

3565-399: The ANC was unbanned in 1990, he quickly rose through the party's national leadership and became deputy secretary general in 1991, national chairperson in 1994, and deputy president in 1997. He was the deputy president of South Africa from 1999 to 2005 under President Thabo Mbeki , Nelson Mandela 's successor. Mbeki dismissed Zuma on 14 June 2005 after Zuma's financial adviser, Schabir Shaik ,

Zondo Commission - Misplaced Pages Continue

3680-539: The ANC's 54th National Conference in December 2017, he unilaterally announced that higher education would be free for students in households whose income was less than R 350,000 per year, meeting a central demand of the #FeesMustFall student protests. South Africa's social grants programme expanded under Zuma, and Zuma was praised for his HIV/AIDS policy which has been credited with increasing life expectancy in South Africa. However, his critics claim that his policies increased South Africa's debt burden with

3795-427: The ANC's Tripartite Alliance partner COSATU urged Zuma to disclose his interests, and the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) called for an investigation by the Public Protector . ANC spokesperson Brian Sokutu explained that Zuma constituted a "special case" because of his "large family", which complicated the process. The ANC distanced itself from Sokutu's statement and Zuma filed the disclosure later that week. As

3910-532: The ANC's Zulu support base in Natal. At the ANC's July 1991 elective conference , Zuma stood for the post of ANC Secretary-General and lost to Cyril Ramaphosa , but was elected Deputy Secretary-General, comfortably beating Alfred Nzo and Popo Molefe in a vote. In the 1994 general election , South Africa's first democratic election, Zuma stood as the ANC's candidate for the premiership of his newly constituted home province, KwaZulu-Natal . The ANC rose to power in

4025-697: The ANC, especially the ANC Youth League under Fikile Mbalula , and from the ANC's partners in the Tripartite Alliance , the SACP, and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). Blade Nzimande of the SACP and Zwelinzima Vavi of COSATU were among Zuma's chief organisers and most vocal supporters (though both recanted their support years later). Vavi and Youth League leader Julius Malema later said that they were prepared to "kill for Zuma". Nzimande and his SACP comrade Gwede Mantashe warned that

4140-532: The African National Congress (2007–2017) Deputy President (1999–2005) Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma ( Zulu: [geɮʱejiɬeˈkisa ˈzʱuma] ; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan names Nxamalala and Msholozi . Zuma was a former anti- apartheid activist, member of uMkhonto weSizwe , and president of

4255-504: The Assad regime after the 2014 Syrian presidential election . The administration also appeared to vacillate in its response to the disputed 2010 presidential election in Côte d'Ivoire. In Zimbabwe, Mbeki had advocated for non-confrontational "quiet diplomacy" as an alternative to the "megaphone diplomacy" used by Western governments that harshly criticised Robert Mugabe 's regime. This approach

4370-577: The Commissions of Inquiry Ordinance was enacted for establishing such a commission. The commission established after the 2012 Lamma Island ferry collision produced a report of its findings which they made public; an internal report was kept confidential. In the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests , one of the five key demands of the protesters, was establishing another commission for the protests itself. Jacob Zuma African National Congress uMkhonto weSizwe President (2009–2018) President of

4485-563: The Constitution, leading to calls for his resignation and a failed impeachment attempt in the National Assembly . By early 2016, there were also widespread allegations, later investigated by the Zondo Commission , that the Gupta family had acquired immense corrupt influence over Zuma's administration, amounting to state capture . Several weeks after Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was elected to succeed Zuma as ANC president in December 2017,

4600-461: The Minister of State Security Ayanda Dlodlo sought to muzzle Jafta arguing that it would endanger state security. Testimony given to the commission regarding the improper activities of the SSA state that: Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi made national headlines when he testified to the commission that the company systematically gave substantial bribes to South African government officials to ensure that

4715-565: The Nation address he announced a new policy of "radical economic transformation". Among the few policies implemented before the end of his presidency were land expropriation without compensation , free higher education , a series of attempted structural reforms in key sectors involving restrictions on foreign ownership, and more stringent black economic empowerment requirements. In the international arena, Zuma emphasised South-South cooperation and economic diplomacy . The admission of South Africa to

Zondo Commission - Misplaced Pages Continue

4830-500: The Pretoria High Court extended the deadline to 30 April. The commission delivered the third part of its findings on 1 March. An eighth extension was granted by the court on 28 April, extending the deadline to 15 June. The fourth tranche was handed over on 29 April. The commission however failed to meet the deadline for handing over the final part of the report. The fifth and final tranche was handed over on 22 June. The commission

4945-525: The Public Protector's recommendation was binding and that Zuma had to appoint a commission of inquiry within 30 days. At the instruction of the court, it was Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng who selected the chairperson of the inquiry, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo . Zondo is assisted by several other full-time officials, including former Auditor-General Terence Nombembe at the head of the investigations team, and Frank Dutton , who served as lead investigator until his death in January 2022. The commission

5060-539: The R30-billion Arms Deal , a major defence procurement package which the government had signed months after Zuma's appointment to the deputy presidency. In August 2003, however, National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Bulelani Ngcuka told the media that the NPA had a "prima facie case of corruption" against Zuma but had decided not to prosecute on the basis that the case was unlikely to be won. A highly public spat ensued between Zuma allies and Ngcuka, who

5175-557: The Republic of Congo and Rwanda. A few whites lost their lives in Zimbabwe, unfortunately, and already the West is bent out of shape. By December 2007, Zuma was more forthcoming in criticising Zimbabwe's leadership, contrasting his own policy to Mbeki's, and observing that it was "tragic that other world leaders who witness repression pretend it is not happening, or is exaggerated". He was critical of

5290-437: The South African government and paid back R1 Billion (US$ 67.3 million) for problems relating to work done at Eskom , as well as a company linked to the Gupta family . In January 2022 the South African government published the findings of an inquiry into state capture and the consultancy firm Bain & Company stands accused of helping Zuma to undermine the South African tax authority. Zuma's first state visit as president

5405-576: The UK, the Planning Inspectorate , an agency of the Department for Communities and Local Government , routinely holds public inquiries into a range of major and lesser land use developments, including highways and other transport proposals. Advocacy groups and opposition political parties are likely to ask for public inquiries for all manner of issues. The government of the day typically only accedes to

5520-601: The United Kingdom, the term public inquiry, also known as a tribunal of inquiry, refers to either statutory or non-statutory inquiries that have been established either previously by the monarch or by government ministers of the United Kingdom , Scottish , Northern Irish and Welsh governments to investigate either specific, controversial events or policy proposals. Non-statutory public inquiries are often used in order to investigate controversial events of national concern,

5635-562: The Zimbabwean government's behaviour during the disputed March 2008 elections in Zimbabwe and called the delays "suspicious". In a press conference on 24 June he said, "We cannot agree with ZANU-PF. We cannot agree with them on values. We fought for the right of people to vote, we fought for democracy." At an ANC dinner in July, he rebuked Mugabe for refusing to step down, and in November he said that

5750-569: The Zondo Commission about his role in state capture and corruption activities. On the first day of his testimony he claimed that there was a foreign-backed conspiracy against him and that some of those testifying against him were apartheid -era spies. Zuma accused the Zondo Commission of being a tool to end his political career. Zuma admitted to having a friendly relationship with the Gupta brothers, but denied engaging in any corrupt activities. Following

5865-857: The advantage being that they are more flexible than the statutory inquiry as they do not need to follow the requirements of the Inquiries Act 2005 , The Inquiry Rules 2006 (UK, excluding Scotland) and The Inquiries (Scotland) Rules 2007. Statutory inquiries can be held as subject-specific public inquiries, however most are now held under the Inquiries Act 2005 which repealed the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921 . Statutory public inquiries, unlike non-statutory inquiries, have legal powers to compel witnesses. This list excludes Public Local Inquiries (which encompasses Planning Inquiries, Compulsory Purchase Order Inquiries, Listed Building Inquiries etc.) In Hong Kong,

SECTION 50

#1732852719417

5980-439: The alliance between Bain & Company, Jacob Zuma, Tom Moyane and others to plan the restructuring of numerous state institutions. His testimony provided evidence of the premeditated plans to restructure South African Revenue Service which led to its near collapse. In November 2021, Williams published Deep Collusion: Bain and the capture of South Africa which is based on his testimony. From 16 July 2019, Zuma testified before

6095-405: The capture of the state electrical utility Eskom. The fourth part of the commissions report made the following notable findings: The report recommends that: Part 1 findings Part 2 findings Part 3 findings Part 4 findings Public inquiry Typical events for a public inquiry are those that cause multiple deaths, such as public transport crashes or mass murders . In addition, in

6210-506: The charges were declared unlawful on a technicality. The presiding judge also expressed a belief that the charges had been the result of a political conspiracy against Zuma. Although this judgement was later overturned by the appellate court, the Zuma-aligned ANC National Executive , as elected at the Polokwane conference, immediately "recalled" Mbeki, asking him to resign as national president. Mbeki, seeking to avoid

6325-540: The commission had interviewed 278 witnesses and collected 159,109 pages and one exabyte of data as evidence. It received eight extensions to finish its report, with 15 June 2022 being the end of its mandate. The first part of the report was published on 4 January 2022. The fifth and final part was published on 22 June 2022. It cost the state close to R1 billion (US$ 66 million), far more than any prior South African judicial inquiry. The reports provide strong evidence of state capture and detailed insight into how state capture

6440-528: The commission regarding Zuma's involvement with the Guptas business deals. Judge Zondo's order was taken to the Constitutional Court which ruled that Zuma had to answer questions before the commission and ordered Zuma to pay the commission’s legal costs. Zuma defied the Constitutional Court and refused to testify to the Zondo Commission on 4 February 2021. The commission, whose mandate ends on 31 March, asked

6555-420: The commission without permission and refusing to give testimony. This was preceded by a long period in which Zuma tried to avoid appearing before the commission through legal moves and arguments in the alleged hope that the commission would conclude before he would have to appear before it. This approach was dubbed as Zuma's Stalingrad defence strategy. In December 2020, Judge Zondo ordered Zuma to testify before

6670-578: The commission's findings was divided into four volumes and published on the morning of 29 April 2022. The fourth part of the findings focused on the attempted capture of the National Treasury , corruption between the private technology service provider EOH and the City of Johannesburg, corruption within state owned diamond mining company Alexkor , the Free State asbestos removal and public housing project, and

6785-427: The commission, South African media speculated that the chances of Zuma being later charged and convicted for crimes committed during his administration or for giving false testimony to the commission had increased. On 11 October 2019, a South African high court denied Zuma a motion to strike down 16 criminal charges of fraud, racketeering and money laundering related to an illegal $ 2.5bn (£1.98bn) arms deal which allegedly

6900-713: The commission, more than 40 by February 2021 – personally implicated Zuma in misconduct. For example: Many individuals have been summoned to testify before the Commission, including former president Jacob Zuma and other current and former government ministers and officials, as well as various business executives. Those required to testify include Ben Ngubane , Mosebenzi Zwane , Barbara Hogan , Mcebisi Jonas , Des van Rooyen , Nomvula Mokonyane , Vytjie Mentor , Pravin Gordhan , Sibongile Sambo , Job Mokgoro and Angelo Agrizzi , among many others. Testimony given by multiple members of

7015-447: The company received government contracts and was not investigated. Agrizzi's testimony implicated then President Zuma, notable government minister Nomvula Mokonyane , chairperson of South African Airways Dudu Myeni, and ANC politician Gwede Mantashe . Former minister of Water and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane , was implicated in a number of allegations of corruption during the commission. This included testimony by Agrizzi that Mokonyane

SECTION 60

#1732852719417

7130-520: The conviction of Zuma's associate, Schabir Shaik , for making underhanded payments to Zuma in relation to the Arms Deal. Mbeki told a joint sitting of Parliament that "in the interest of the honourable Deputy President, the government, our young democratic system and our country, it would be best to release the honourable Jacob Zuma from his responsibilities". Zuma also resigned as a member of Parliament. His successor as deputy president of South Africa

7245-408: The corruption trial would endanger public stability if it went ahead, although there were reports that support for Zuma had caused a rift within the SACP. While Zuma's political strength was at least partly based on his relationships within intra-party politics and Mbeki's lack of popularity with the left wing, he also had a large Zulu support base, and one analyst argued that his supporters' loyalty

7360-484: The court for an urgent order directing him to give evidence. A judge later requested that a contempt of court charge be filed against Zuma. On 25 March 2021, the Constitutional Court upheld a previously ruling which found that Zuma's refusal to testify before the Commission classified as contempt of court. On 29 June the Constitutional Court handed down a 15 month prison sentence to Zuma. Shortly after Zuma's imprisonment on 7 July large scale unrest and looting broke out in

7475-517: The elections, with Mandela elected president and Mbeki his deputy, but lost KwaZulu-Natal to the IFP. Zuma became a member of the executive council (MEC) for economic affairs and tourism in KwaZulu-Natal. In December 1994, he was elected ANC provincial chairperson for KwaZulu-Natal, and at the ANC's 1994 elective conference he was elected national chairperson, beating Pallo Jordan and Jeff Radebe by

7590-518: The favourite to win the presidency and became the ANC's presidential candidate in the 2009 elections . While the ANC was extremely likely to win regardless of its candidate, there were reports that Zuma's support base and left-wing alliances unnerved international and domestic investors. On 18 December 2007, at the ANC's 52nd National Conference in Polokwane, Limpopo , Zuma was elected ANC president, beating Mbeki with 2,329 votes to 1,505. Just over

7705-563: The first day of Zuma's testimony, the Democratic Alliance accused Zuma of trying to play the victim and misleading the commission. During Zuma's second day of testimony, he claimed that he was the target of a suicide bombing assassination attempt, the South African Police Service later stated that they were unaware of any such event taking place. Zuma controversially accused senior ANC member Ngoako Ramatlhodi of being

7820-612: The following findings regarding South African Airways (SAA): The report recommended that: Part 1 made the following notable findings regarding the South African Revenue Service (SARS): The report recommended that: Part 1 made the following notable findings regarding the Gupta family enterprises and activities: The report recommended that: Part 1 found that the ANC: Part 2 was published on 1 February 2022 and announced findings on corruption and maladministration within

7935-416: The indictment earlier served on Shaik. However, the NPA was unprepared to serve the final indictment and filed an application for postponement. On 20 September 2006, the Pietermaritzburg High Court dismissed the application, and when the NPA indicated that it was not prepared to proceed with the trial, the matter was stricken off. In December 2005, Zuma was charged with raping a 31-year-old woman, known to

8050-412: The inquiry focused on corruption and maladministration at state institutions during Zuma's administration (2009–2018). Over 300 witnesses testified, with revelations including allegations about: During hearings on these sagas, the commission has heard extensive testimony about maladministration and/or corruption at state-owned enterprises and state institutions including: Several witnesses – according to

8165-411: The intelligence department. Zuma was also a member of the South African Communist Party (SACP). He joined in 1963, served briefly on the party's Politburo , and left in 1990. After the ANC was unbanned in February 1990, Zuma returned to South Africa on 21 March to begin the negotiations process. He was one of the first ANC leaders to return to South Africa for negotiations. Later that year, he

8280-518: The new focus on RET during his February 2017 State of the Nation address. Later that year, he explained that RET had been adopted as ANC policy and therefore as government policy, and defined it as a "fundamental change in the structures, systems, institutions and patterns of ownership and control of the economy, in favour of all South Africans, especially the poor". The RET policy was controversial, and some critics claimed that it had popular political appeal but lacked substance. Others claimed that it

8395-701: The office of the presidency which was chaired by Minister Trevor Manuel . It was responsible for developing the National Development Plan , which was adopted by Zuma's cabinet in 2012. Other major initiatives included the Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme, which was launched in 2011 amid electricity generation shortfalls at state energy utility Eskom , and a R4-trillion National Infrastructure Plan launched in 2012. Zuma expressed support for expanding South Africa's nuclear power programme , particularly for

8510-488: The part of the relevant minister are less likely to be investigated by a public inquiry. Third, a public inquiry generally takes longer to report and costs more on account of its public nature. When a government refuses a public inquiry on some topic, it is usually on at least one of these grounds. The conclusions of the inquiry are delivered in the form of a written report, given first to the government, and soon after made public. Reports usually make recommendations to improve

8625-459: The party. However, by April 2007 it was clear that Mbeki intended to run for a third term as ANC president. Even though he was prohibited by the Constitution from standing again for the national presidency, the ANC lacks internal term limits. Zuma gained the support of five of the nine provincial ANC branches when they nominated candidates at their provincial congresses in late 2007. He became

8740-421: The provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng , lasting from 9 to 17 July 2021. The findings are compiled into 6 volumes, each volume comprising multiple parts with each part focusing on a specific genre of state capture. Initially the findings were to be released in three parts but this number was later increased. Each of the multiple parts of the report's findings were divided into multiple volumes. An extension

8855-500: The public by the pseudonym Khwezi. The incident allegedly occurred on 2 November 2005 at Zuma's home in Forest Town, Johannesburg . When the trial began on 6 March 2006, Zuma pleaded not guilty, claiming that he and Khwezi had consensual sex. He was acquitted on 8 May 2006 following a highly publicised trial. Zuma's admission was controversial, as he stated that he had not used a condom while having sex with Khwezi, despite knowing she

8970-444: The quality of government or management of public organisations in the future. A 2016 study found that the reports of public inquiries are not effective in changing public opinion regarding the event in question. Empirical studies do not find support for the claim that appointing a public inquiry leads to a decline in media attention to the inquired issue. Public inquiry reports appear to enjoy public trust only when they are critical of

9085-501: The rape trial, Zuma and his supporters complained of a concerted media plot to discredit him and harm his political career. In March, he appointed a legal team, including former Conservative Party politician Jurg Prinsloo and advocate Wycliffe Mothuloe, to fight his "crucifixion by the media". Among his targets was the Sowetan, whom he told that the media, at the instruction of Ngcuka of the NPA and former Justice Minister Penuell Maduna ,

9200-430: The regulation of oil, gas, and minerals resources. Furthermore, Zuma announced a proposal to increase black economic empowerment ownership requirements in mines. In 2017, Zuma advanced a proposal for the introduction of a national minimum wage . Zuma was attentive to land reform issues throughout his second term, but from 2017 he emphasised his support for land expropriation without compensation. While opening

9315-477: The report of her investigation, titled State of Capture , caused a major scandal. The report implicated Zuma and other state officials in improper relationships with the Gupta family , among other improprieties, and recommended that Zuma should appoint a commission of inquiry into state capture. Zuma sought to have Madonsela's findings overturned in the High Court, but the court dismissed his application, finding that

9430-573: The same route... We believe that our positions as former liberation movements need to be consolidated." Despite tensions in later months, as Zuma and SADC attempted to nudge Mugabe towards democratic reforms, the Business Day reported that relations between the countries remained "cordial" throughout Zuma's presidency. South Africa hosted the 25th Summit of the AU in Johannesburg from 7 to 15 June 2015. It

9545-470: The same standards. In 2016, it announced in New York that it was withdrawing from the ICC, and Zuma's administration subsequently tabled legislation to effect the withdrawal. In a press conference on 5 December 2013, Zuma announced the death of Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first democratically elected president. The memorial took place on 10 December 2013 at FNB Stadium near Soweto . When Zuma entered

9660-448: The stadium parts of the crowd booed him loudly. Ramaphosa and Archbishop Desmond Tutu called for discipline, with Ramaphosa telling the crowd in Zulu that the country could address its internal disagreements when foreign dignitaries were not present. Some South African commentators said that the crowd's actions were unexpected, and they were widely linked to the ongoing Nkandla scandal ,

9775-517: The state-owned companies Denel, Eskom and Transnet . The following notable findings were made: The report recommended that: Part 3 was published on 1 March 2022 and focused on findings relating to corruption relating to the privately owned state contractor BOSASA. Following the release of part 3 the commission's findings were criticized by allies of Jacob Zuma. Part 3 made the following notable findings and recommendations regarding government's interactions with state service provider BOSASA: Part 4 of

9890-470: The total value of the defamation lawsuits to at least R70 million, an unprecedented figure in South African law. Many of the suits were withdrawn or settled out of court. Rapport settled for R50,000 over a defamatory reader's letter, and the British Guardian newspaper also paid Zuma substantial damages over defamatory statements. As per party tradition, Zuma was in line to succeed Mbeki as head of

10005-472: The trial was not scheduled to take place until early 2023. The trial has since been set for April 2025. In a separate matter, in June 2021, the Constitutional Court convicted Zuma of contempt of court for his failure to comply with a court order compelling his testimony before the Zondo Commission. He was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment and was arrested on 7 July 2021 in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal . However, he

10120-480: Was HIV-positive and having been, as deputy president, the head of the National AIDS Council and Moral Regeneration Campaign. He told the court that he had taken a shower after the act, claiming that doing so reduced the risk of HIV transmission . The South African comic strip Madam & Eve , and political cartoonist Zapiro , repeatedly lampooned Zuma for his testimony, and Zuma now always appears under

10235-514: Was Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka , Ngcuka's wife. Mlambo-Ngcuka had been minister of minerals and energy since 1999. Her appointment was booed publicly atANC rallies by Zuma supporters, including at a Women's Day event in Utrecht , KwaZulu-Natal. Soon after Zuma's dismissal, the NPA announced its intention to instate formal corruption charges against him. He was served with a provisional indictment on fraud and corruption charges in November 2005, mirroring

10350-402: Was formalised by Parliament on 6 May, and he was sworn in as president of South Africa on 9 May 2009. As president and therefore a member of cabinet, Zuma was required by the government's ethics code to declare his financial interests within 60 days of taking office. In March 2010, nine months after taking office, South African media reported that he had failed to do so. Opposition parties and

10465-461: Was a referee for prisoners association football games, organised by the prisoners own governing body, Makana F.A. After his release from prison, Zuma re-established ANC underground structures in Natal. He left South Africa in 1975 and was initially based in Swaziland where he met Thabo Mbeki . In Mozambique, he dealt with the arrival of thousands of exiles seeking military training in the wake of

10580-544: Was accused by Moe Shaik and Mac Maharaj of having been an apartheid spy, an accusation later dismissed by the specially appointed Hefer Commission. Zuma laid a misconduct complaint against Ngcuka with the Public Protector , Lawrence Mushwana , who in May 2004 found that Ngcuka's statement to the media had been "unfair and improper". Mbeki and Zuma were both re-elected in the 2004 general election , but on 14 June 2005, Mbeki removed Zuma from his post as deputy president following

10695-457: Was appointed as ANC Chief Representative in Mozambique. In December 1986, the South African government requested that Mozambican authorities expel six senior members of the ANC, including Zuma. He was forced to leave Mozambique in January 1987, so he moved to the ANC headquarters in Lusaka , Zambia, where he was appointed Head of the ANC's underground structures, and shortly afterward was named chief of

10810-516: Was appointed under terms of reference which were flexible but which singled out for investigation several issues, primarily arising from the State of Capture report and of varying degrees of specificity. Thus the commission was to investigate whether: If irregularities were found, the Commission was also to investigate the extent to which the national executive – including Zuma and the deputy ministers – had been responsible for them. Most testimony given to

10925-532: Was attended by Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir , then a fugitive from the International Criminal Court (ICC), which sought to prosecute him on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity . South Africa was a signatory to the Rome Statute , which obliged it to arrest al-Bashir, but instead granted him diplomatic immunity while he attended the summit. While the matter was being adjudicated by

11040-620: Was born in Nkandla , Natal Province (now part of the province of KwaZulu-Natal ), and often moved around Natal and the suburbs of Durban as a child. His father, Nobhekisisa, was a policeman who died when Zuma was five, and his mother, Geinamazwi, was a domestic worker. His middle name, Gedleyihlekisa, means "one who smiles while causing you harm" in Zulu . He did not receive formal schooling. He has at least three brothers—Michael, Joseph, and Khanya —and at least one sister—Velephi. Michael Zuma

11155-588: Was controversial, with elements of the ruling alliance calling for a tougher stance against Mugabe and the ruling ZANU–PF . In a 2006 interview with Der Spiegel , Zuma had supported quiet diplomacy and said of Mugabe: The Europeans often ignore the fact that Mugabe is very popular among Africans... The people love him. So how can we condemn him? Many in Africa believe that there is a racist aspect to European and American criticism of Mugabe. Millions of blacks died in Angola,

11270-487: Was convicted of making corrupt payments to Zuma in connection with the Arms Deal . Zuma was charged with corruption and was also acquitted on rape charges in the highly publicised 2006 trial . He managed to retain the support of a left-wing coalition inside the ANC, which allowed him to remove Mbeki as ANC president in December 2007 at the ANC's Polokwane elective conference . Zuma was elected president of South Africa in

11385-617: Was criticised for deviating in its stance on certain foreign regimes, especially in its attitudes towards international intervention in civil conflicts . It voted in favour of Resolution 1970 and Resolution 1973 but condemned their use by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as the basis for military intervention in Libya . It also voted in favour of a 2012 resolution calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, but established friendly relations with

11500-424: Was elected unopposed as the ANC's Southern Natal Chairperson. Zuma, as a Zulu , became known as a leading peace broker in Natal during the political violence of this period that was concentrated in that province, and arose largely from conflict between nationalist supporters of the then Xhosa -dominated ANC and supporters of the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). He is also credited with having expanded

11615-452: Was employed by Khumbula Property Services, a construction company, and in 2011 admitted to using his elder brother Jacob's political status to secure a government contract for the company in exchange for a homestead in Nkandla. Zuma began engaging in anti- apartheid politics at an early age and joined the ANC in 1959. He became an active member of uMkhonto we Sizwe in 1962, two years after

11730-614: Was established in January 2018 but did not hold its first hearing until August 2018, by which time Zuma had resigned and been replaced by President Cyril Ramaphosa . Following a series of extensions, it concluded its hearings in August 2021 with testimony from Ramaphosa. However, on 29 September, the Pretoria High Court granted the commission another three-month extension, which expired at the end of December 2021. Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola – whose portfolio

11845-653: Was implicated in illegal activities when she was chairperson of South African Airways . When Myeni appeared before the commission on 5 November 2020 she repeatedly revealed the identity of a secret state witness, in violation of the terms set by the Commission. The witness had received anonymity as the commission had reason to believe that the witness's life would be at risk if their identity was made public. This resulted in Judge Zondo requesting that criminal charges be placed on Myeni. Former Bain & Company partner, Athol Williams , testified for two days presenting evidence of

11960-495: Was inaugurated as national president, citing apparent evidence of prosecutorial misconduct in the so-called spy tapes . In March 2009, Shaik was controversially released from prison on medical parole , just over two years into his 15-year sentence. Earlier the same week, Zuma had said publicly that as national president he would pardon Shaik on medical grounds, and denied having played any role in Shaik's release. Shaik had applied for

12075-456: Was organised and facilitated by some leaders in both the public and private sectors. In 2016, the Public Protector , Thuli Madonsela , launched an investigation into state capture after receiving formal complaints from Stanislaus Muyebe of the Dominican Order of Southern Africa, another member of the public, and leader of the opposition Mmusi Maimane . In November 2016, the publication of

12190-426: Was paid R50,000 (around US$ 3,500) a month for years to protect Bosasa from law enforcement agencies and that she received numerous 'gifts' from Bosasa such as expensive vehicles. Mokonyane's testimony before the commission was notable for its contradictory statements, the serious nature of the allegations made against her, and the high profile it received in the media. Dudu Myeni , a close associate of president Zuma,

12305-471: Was partially rooted in a traditionalist Zulu loyalty. Zuma's supporters publicly expressed the view that his dismissal and prosecution were the result of a political conspiracy by Mbeki, who they said had sought to oust Zuma to entrench their dominance in the ANC. Zuma's court appearances on the corruption charges drew large crowds of supporters (on one estimate, up to 10,000 at a time), who, on one occasion, burned T-shirts with Mbeki's picture on them, which

12420-536: Was released on medical parole two months later on 5 September. The high court rescinded his parole on 15 December. The parole was declared unlawful by the Supreme Court of Appeal, but it allowed the Department of Correctional Services to consider whether to deduct the time spent under it from his sentence. On 11 August 2023, the Department of Correctional Services granted Zuma remission of his 15-month sentence. Zuma

12535-466: Was released on Tuesday 4 January 2022. It has three volumes with the first volume focused on corruption within the state owned South African Airways, the second on findings relating to the Gupta family, and the third on the South African Revenue Service and recommendations to reform the government procurement system. Some notable finding of part 1 of the Zono Commission found the following: Part 1 made

12650-399: Was requested so that the commission would have additional time to deliver its findings; this pushed the deadline for releasing all of its findings out to 15 June 2022. The commission found that multiple incidents of state capture took place within South African government departments and state-owned enterprises during the presidency of Jacob Zuma as senior officials routinely broke law. Part 1

12765-644: Was the chief mediator in the Burundi peace process, in which he worked with Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni , who chaired the Great Lakes Regional Initiative, a grouping of regional presidents overseeing the peace process in Burundi. In late 2002, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced that Zuma was one of several ANC politicians under investigation by the Scorpions for corruption related to

12880-480: Was to Angola , where he sought to improve relations with the government of President José Eduardo dos Santos , who had had a tense relationship with Mbeki. His government's foreign policy emphasised the developmental objectives of African and Global South countries with a focus on economic diplomacy . It was also characterised by a pivot towards the BRIC , especially China. In December 2010, South Africa became

12995-522: Was trying to "crucify" him. The newspaper had printed the interview under the headline "I'm like Christ – Zuma". In June and July 2006, Zuma filed a series of defamation lawsuits against various South African media outlets for publishing content that allegedly besmirched his public profile in the form of cartoons, commentary, photos and parody pieces. The defendants included the Star (sued for R20 million), Rapport (R10 million), Highveld Stereo (R7 million),

13110-471: Was undertaken in the late 1990s in order to ensure that South Africa's armed forces could buy 30bn rand of European military hardware. Zuma's legal team attempted to get Judge Zondo to recuse himself from the commission accusing Zondo of bias and having a supposed prior friendship with Zuma. Judge Zondo rejected the recusal request. A little over 16 months after Zuma first appeared before the commission criminal charges were laid against him for walking out of

13225-506: Was used to defend "rent-seeking practices" and the influence of the Gupta family on Zuma's administration. Zuma claimed that critics of his politics were agents of " white monopoly capital ". Zuma was inaugurated in South Africa at the height of the 2008 global financial crisis and amid South Africa's first recession since the end of apartheid. Upon taking office, he established the National Planning Commission under

#416583