Fatima Moosa | Daily Vox | 8 October 2019
For months now, the state capture commission has been taking place headed by deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo. The commission have been looking into the allegations of state capture and corruption within the public sector. Many startling allegations have come forward from the commission.
The hearings began on the 20th of August 2019. However, there have been no major repercussions for those accused of wrongdoing. The People’s Hearings on State Capture hopes to change that. Around 20 civil society groups under the Working Group banner have come together to put together the event. The organisations met on the 10th of September 2018 to discuss the shortcomings of the commission. Out of this meeting, the Civil Society Working Group on State Capture emerged.
Zen Mathe from Open Secrets said there was a discussion about how civil society could help the Zondo Commission to fulfill its mandate. Thus the group formed.
With the announcement of the commission, there was a sense of achievement said Mathe. However, she said there was a realisation South Africa was not going through a post-state capture phase. Therefore, civil society organisations decided to get together and work with each other.
The coalition of organisations includes Open Secrets, Section27 (S27), Right2Know (R2K), MyVoteCounts (MVC), Corruption Watch (CW), #UniteBehind, Equal Education (EE), and Dullah Omar Institute (DOI).
It is this group that has put together the hearings. It’s meant to be a public forum where members of the public and activists will be able to reflect on the impact of state capture. “It will rather serve as a powerful reminder that state capture has left ordinary people poorer,” said the group.
