The civil rights watchdog AfriForum, the Quaker Peace Centre and the FW de Klerk Foundation brought an application in the Constitutional Court today to obtain an order to direct Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s Deputy President, to appoint a commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture or a silent coup.
In their application, the organisations also request the Court to declare Pres. Jacob Zuma unfit to appoint a commission of inquiry himself due to conflict of interest as contemplated in Section 96(2)(b) of the Constitution.
“AfriForum is of the opinion that, upon the release of the state capture report by Adv. Thuli Madonsela, the former Public Protector, Zuma neglected to appoint a commission of inquiry due to the high risk of exposing and implicating himself and his accomplices. It is clear that Zuma’s personal interests are not aligned with his official responsibilities towards the country,” says Monique Taute, Head of AfriForum’s Anti-Corruption Unit.
Taute further says that Section 90(1) of the Constitution states that the authority to appoint a commission of inquiry under these circumstances falls solely on the Deputy President, who has already indicated that he is in favour of the appointment of such a commission.
“AfriForum will keep on fighting corruption to promote equality before the law. To redeem South Africa’s good name and to bring about change and eradicate corruption in the country, it is of the utmost importance that all parties who are implicated in the state capture report must be investigated, prosecuted and held accountable.”
The organisations further request the court to order Government to afford the commission of inquiry all the logistical support and resources the chairperson of such a commission may reasonably request.