Two years into its investigation into how alleged state-capture corruption ravaged SA’s administration, parastatals and law enforcement bodies, the Zondo commission of inquiry has led evidence that may answer another crucial question: why was that wholesale destruction so easy to carry out?

If the evidence of three anonymous security officers is accepted, then former public enterprises minister Malusi Gigaba, Transnet/Eskom heads Brian Molefe and Anoj Singh, and Transnet bosses Siyabonga Gama and Garry Pita actively worked to promote the Guptas’ business interests for one simple reason: they were paid to do so...