RANJENI MUNUSAMY: How state capture looters are reinventing themselves as the ones to save SA
Extract
The announcement on Monday that Bosasa had gone into voluntary liquidation following the closure of its bank accounts demonstrates the power of the Zondo commission to cripple corruption networks.
Contrary to some people’s belief, halting corruption and taking action against perpetrators of state capture does not have to wait until judge Raymond Zondo submits his final report to the president.
As evidence of criminality is unearthed at the state capture inquiry, it should be investigated and verified by the law enforcement agencies; financial institutions should take measures to prevent further illicit activities; and the government should cancel crooked contracts and act against those responsible for rampant looting.
However, SA seems to be very forgiving when it comes to perpetrators of financial crimes. While we live in hope that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will develop the will and ability to prosecute big corruption cases, people like Markus Jooste and Gavin Watson continue to live their lives untroubled. In the case of the Guptas, their legal and media strategy to project themselves as victims of the criminal justice system has helped dissipate public hostility towards them. The bungled Estina and Duduzane Zuma cases are being used to revise the narrative around their criminality and normalise the idea of them returning to SA. Part of the Gupta strategy is also to demonise the state capture whistle-blowers and resisters. Fortunately for them, Vytjie Mentor’s version of her interaction with them unravelled under questioning at the inquiry, and this has been used as a basis to question all other testimony against them. Another strange phenomenon is the legitimisation of collabora...
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