The release of the fifth and final instalment of the State Capture Report would be delayed again, according to the Presidency, which said a new date for the handover of the report would be announced soon.
Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson for President Cyril Ramaphosa, said on Monday: “This morning, President Cyril Ramaphosa and Chief Justice Raymond Zondo discussed the timing of the handing over of the final report of the commission. A new date and time for the handover will be announced soon.”
Zondo was expected to hand over the report at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Monday evening after the commission delayed releasing the report on June 15 citing difficulties. It stated at the time that it was unable to submit the report due to certain challenges.
The final instalment of the report is expected to include findings of investigations into the State Security Agency (SSA) and the SABC, Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, and the Estina Dairy Farm, among others.
It is still not clear how the timing has affected the handover of the report on Monday, however, it is at the time when Ramaphosa is under fire over allegations of theft and money-laundering.
This after former spy boss Arthur Fraser opened criminal charges against the president at the Rosebank police station on June 1. The charges emanate from a theft that took place at the president’s Phala Phala farm in Limpopo on February 9 2020, where millions of dollars allegedly concealed at the farm were stolen.
Fraser alleged that Ramaphosa was in cahoots with the “criminals” who were colluding with his domestic workers.
“The president concealed the crime from the South African Police Service and/or South African Revenue Service and thereafter paid the culprits for their silence,” the former national commissioner for correctional services said at the time.
“The evidence I provide shows that the said burglary took place on 9 February 2020. This conduct of the president and those involved constitutes a breach of, infer alia, the Prevention of Organised Crime Act No 121 of 1998 and the Prevention of Corrupt Activities Act No 12 of 2004.
“The details of the charges and the supporting evidence, including photographs, bank accounts, video footage, and names are contained in my statement filed with the Rosebank police station.”
The Presidency later confirmed that a theft took place at the president’s farm, but denied Fraser’s claim that Ramaphosa was involved in the missing “millions”.
Ramaphosa’s credibility has since come under scrutiny with political leaders approaching the National Assembly for answers and the EFF calling for him to step aside to allow for a fair investigation into the allegations.
Fraser poured fuel into the fire on Wednesday last week when he announced that he had provided the Hawks with more evidence into the alleged crime.
Speculations on social media on Monday was that the fifth instalment of the State Capture Report would implicate Fraser in an attempt to discredit him for the allegations he made against Ramaphosa. Many also believe that the report is only delayed because it is still being “doctored”.
The State Capture Commission, which was established in January 2018 to investigate allegations of state capture, corruption, and fraud in the public sector, has interviewed over 270 witnesses excluding Fraser.
In May, Fraser demanded that the National Prosecuting Authority make arrests in a period of seven days, including that of Ramaphosa. In 2021, Fraser said he would expose Ramaphosa if given a chance to appear before the commission. However, he was not granted the opportunity.
Several witnesses at the commission implicated Fraser as being behind the repurposing of the SSA for the benefit of former president Jacob Zuma.
He was called to give evidence but immediately put the commission and the country on high alert when he warned that if compelled to give evidence, he would be forced to reveal “state’s secrets” about presidents – past and present – as well as judges and MPs.
It is not known if his veiled threat is what stopped the commission from pursuing his evidence.
This is a developing story…
It’s quite evident now that ramapho$a’s puppets and faction are maliciously editing the so called state capture report to try and divert attention from the Phala Phala crimes and gangsterism. It’ll backfire in a huge way because there’s a lot to reveal about his criminal conduct!
— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) June 20, 2022
Zondo and Ramaphosa are disrespecting the Nation and non thinkers are clapping hands, no matter how many times they edit that useless State Capture Report Oksalayo #RamaphosaMustGo, we miss Chief Justice Mogoeng #PhalaPhalaGate pic.twitter.com/fK55dqtS5g
— Battalion 54 (@54Battalion) June 20, 2022
Imagine if the final State Capture Commission report comes out drenching Arthur Fraser in murk, only for him to take it on review, releasing more explosive documents as annexures to his answering affidavit ibe yi deurmekaar! I don't think this one was thought through!
— Brenda Wardle (@BrendaWardle) June 19, 2022
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