Today President Cyril Ramaphosa testified at the Zondo commission as the leader of African National Congress (ANC) in his testimony he alluded that he is not at the State Capture Commission to make excuses for the governing party or to defend any member of the party from accusations. He said the ANC supports the Zondo commission, he also mentioned that the ANC has not taken sufficient  actions to combat actions of corruption such as those of the state capture. 

Ramaphosa further highlighted that the commission is the instrument through which South Africa seeks, as a nation, to understand the nature and extent of state capture, to confront it, to hold those responsible to account, and to take the necessary measures to ensure that such events do not occur ever again in our country. He said  State capture and corruption have taken a great toll on our society and our economy. They have eroded the values of our Constitution and undermined the rule of law.

He said that the ANC  has taken several resolutions on measures to prevent corruption, including on issues relating to state capture. These are evident in statements of the ANC National Executive Committee, particularly from 2016 onwards, which included a call for an independent investigation by the competent authorities into these allegations. The question that arises is whether these resolutions and pronouncements were followed by meaningful action to fight corruption and end state capture?

In answering this question Ramaphosa said " we must acknowledge that the issue of state capture was a matter of great political contestation within the ANC. Differences over whether indeed state capture existed, its extent and form, and what should be done about it, contributed to divisions within the NEC and other ANC structures. These divisions were evident also in government, in parliament and other sections of society.

Indeed, the issue of state capture and corruption was prominent in the contestation that took place ahead of the ANC’s 54th National Conference in December 2017. However, we would argue that over the course of time, through political debate and democratic contestation, the organisation took active measures to confront state capture. This is evident, for example, in the events that unfolded in Parliament from late 2016 and into 2017, where the ANC and other parties initiated a number of inquiries into allegations of malfeasance in some state-owned enterprises and parts of government." Said Ramaphosa

Concluding his opening speech Ramaphosa said that the ANC has taken this position knowing that the organisation itself would be placed under great scrutiny and that the process of examining these matters will be difficult and painful for the ANC. Nevertheless, the ANC maintains that this commission is a necessary part of the broader social effort of ending all forms of state capture and corruption. In addition he said the ruling party has had shortcomings in living up to the expectations of the people of South Africa in relation to enforcing accountability and engendering a culture of effective consequence management. As the leadership of the ANC duly elected at the 54th Conference, they acknowledge these shortcomings as an organisation.

For this, we acknowledge to the people of South Africa that we did not always live up to the values and principles that have defined the movement for over more than a century of its existence. We are determined and we undertake to work alongside all South Africans to ensure that the era of state capture is relegated to history and that the excesses that took place may never again occur in our country.