Cyril Ramaphosa was at his deflective best during president’s questions in the National Assembly on March 19. When asked about the lack of tangible progress with the implementation of the recommendations of the Zondo state capture commission, he patiently and alliteratively explained to the irascible opposition members that “these things take time”.

The president then compounded his deflective stance by pointing out that the criminal justice administration, not his executive as such, is the institution responsible for investigating (the police) and prosecuting (the prosecutors’) alleged corruption either uncovered, or suspected, by the commission.

What he did not traverse in his soothing tones was that the necessary political will involves his government in the reform and repair work required to render those countering corruption constitutionally compliant. This vital step involves the proper implementation of the Glenister decisions, the recapacitating of the broken institutions that were devastated by the machinations of state capture and the voting of sufficient funding to do what is needed to replace the all-but-useless Hawks and the gutted prosecution service with a single anti-corruption entity.

The courts require an independent entity for countering serious corruption and organised crime. This goal can be achieved by establishing an independent, new Chapter 9 entity that is resourced in guaranteed fashion to prevent, combat, investigate and prosecute, when appropriate, those against whom viable cases can be made. Tinkering with the broken existing institutions that were devastated in the two-term “Zuma tsunami” just won’t do, either politically or constitutionally.

There is no integrity in covering up for corrupt comrades and their business associates by keeping the criminal justice administration in a state of emaciated impoverishment.

Paul Hoffman, SC
Accountability Now