President seeks extension to act on state capture commission report

President Cyril Ramaphosa has asked the Pretoria high court to grant him an extension to submit the yet-to-be-released third and final part of the state capture report to parliament and to act on its recommendations. 

Ramaphosa made the application on Sunday after the state capture commission’s application last week  in which it sought a further extension of the term of the commission from February 28 to April 30.

In a statement last week, the commission said if the extension is granted, the commission will submit the balance of its report either at the end of April or part of it at the end of March and the last part at the end of April.

In his application Ramaphosa said he was not opposing the application by the commission. 

“He expects it will be granted. Consequently, the president seeks an extension of the time for him to act by four months from April 30 2022,” acting head of the presidency's legal department Geoffrey Mphaphuli said in an affidavit on behalf of the president.

The commission sought the extension so that it has sufficient and reasonable time to deliver the final part of its report.

Two parts of the state capture report have been released. The first consists of 850 pages, three volumes, four chapters and numerous findings and recommendation.

The second report consists of 627 pages, two volumes, two chapters and numerous findings and recommendations.

According to the affidavit by the commission in support of the extension, the two released parts address the first six of a total of 20 topics to be addressed in all three reports.

That affidavit states the final part of the report will deal with the rest of the topics and will include a summary of the whole report. 

The third part is expected to run to 1,500 pages.

“Relevant cabinet ministers and their staff, as well as a team in the presidency, are reading and analysing the first two parts of the report with a view to advising the president how to approach them, what to do about their findings and how to go about implementing their recommendations,” Mphaphuli said.

“Recommendations that require the president to apply his mind are under consideration by the relevant ministers and presidency staff.

“They cannot conclude their advice until receipt of the final instalment, if they are to advise on a considered approach to the report and to allow the president to produce a complete report to parliament.”

TimesLIVE