JUST IN: Zondo Commission granted extension, Ramaphosa set to appear

The State Capture Commission (aka Zondo Commission) has been granted yet another three months extension to complete its work.

The Commission’s Chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Zondo confirmed on Wednesday during a briefing on the Commission’s work so far.

ZONDO COMMISSION GIVEN UNTIL END OF SEPTEMBER TO WRAP UP

During the briefing, the Deputy Chief Justice said they planned to finish oral evidence by the end of March but there was evidence that they could not ignore. He added that the High Court has granted the commission an extension until September 2021.

Zondo also said that the commission will soon be resuming to prepare its report, and said that he has been informed that the transcript of the evidence is already over 71 000 pages.

DCJ Zondo explained that ‘five or six more witnesses’ were still due to give crucial evidence – and there’s the small matter of President Ramaphosa’s outstanding testimony to resolve.

“During the period where the Commission was not sitting at the beginning of June, they had time to carefully look at some matters relating to certain evidence and resolved that it’s important to continue with certain evidence.”

“The Commission must still continue to hear the evidence of other five or six implicated witnesses – including the evidence of Cyril Ramaphosa in his capacity and the leader of the ANC and the President of South Africa.”

The Commission welcomed the he Constitutional Court’s decision to impose a 15-month prison sentence on former president Jacob Zuma that was handed down on Tuesday, 29 June by Acting Chief Justice Sisi Khampepe.

“The commission views the judgment as one of great importance for the rule of law, the principle of equality before the law, the primacy of our Constitution and the protection of our constitutional democracy,” said commission secretary Itumeleng Mosala

READ: Zondo Commission: Zuma ruling ‘sends a profoundly important message’