Zuma to take state capture report on review

President Jacob Zuma will be taking the remedial action prescribed by the Public Protector on review.

The announcement was made this afternoon through a statement by The Presidency. 

Thuli Madonsela released her State of Capture report, which probed the government’s relationship with the controversial Gupta family, on November 2.

Her recommendation was that Zuma must appoint a commission of inquiry into state capture‚ but whose judge must be solely selected by the Chief Justice.

“The president has considered and also sought legal advice on the contents of the report as well as the remedial action to be taken. The legal advice given and which advice has been accepted by the president is to take the remedial action on review,” presidency spokesperson Bongani Ngqulunga said today.

“The legal team on brief is currently working on the review application to be served and filed within the time periods prescribed by the law. The Promotion of Administrative Justice Act 3 of 2000 provides that any proceedings for judicial review must be instituted without unreasonable delay and not later than 180 days from the date that the reviewable action was concluded.”

Zuma hinted earlier this week that he may take this course of action.

During his question-and-answer session in Parliament, he said he had reservations about the State of Capture report and was unhappy with the manner in which former the Public Protector conducted the investigation.

“This report has been dealt with in a very funny way. Very funny, in my view. It affected me and many others. No fairness at all.”

Zuma said the manner in which the report came about and the recommendations made “is a matter that concerns some of us who are mentioned there. We would want that work to be done properly. And that’s why we are working on it and that’s why I can’t go further than that because I can’t then jump when I have these views to establish a commission”.