Without an inquiry into state capture‚ the trust deficit in SA will continue to grow: Madonsela

16 January 2017 - 15:08 By Bianca Capazorio
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BEST, WORST OF TIMES: Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report laid bare the state of leadership in 2016 Picture: SIMPHIWE NKWALI
BEST, WORST OF TIMES: Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report laid bare the state of leadership in 2016 Picture: SIMPHIWE NKWALI
Image: SIMPHIWE NKWALI

Former public protector Thuli Madonsela said some information that she uncovered during the State of Capture report made her “really worried” about who is running the country.

And she said that without the commission of inquiry she had recommended‚ the trust deficit between government and the public created by state capture would continue to grow.

Addressing the Cape Town Press Club on Monday‚ Madonsela said she felt that because the issue of the alleged state capture by the Gupta family was such a “highly charged matter both politically and emotionally”‚ it needed a transparent‚ open process.

Questioned about who really runs the country she said: “Officially‚ we know that we have a government‚ but if we don't get a commission of inquiry‚ there will always be a trust deficit. Some of the information I gathered made me really worried about who runs the country.”

She said “it may well be” that whistle-blowers’ like Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas‚ former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor and former government spokesman Themba Maseko were “lying”‚ but added that without an inquiry‚ the country would never know.

Madonsela said she had also noticed how the use of the phrase “white minority capital” had started to flourish in the wake of her report and said she had read how governments in Africa “whip up ethnicity as an issue”. But‚ she added‚ “the answer to white minority capital is not having two families enriching themselves through state resources”.

Mandonsela was also asked to weigh in on the presidential race as the ANC heads towards its elective conference at the end of the year.

She said she was “neither qualifed to be president nor interested in that job”‚ but said she hoped the next president would work to bring South Africans together.

She said she felt that white people should not be treated like “Cinderellas”‚ but at the same time‚ the new president would have to focus on redistribution and growth.

“As long as face of poverty is black and a woman‚ and the face of wealth is white and male‚ that is a recipe for disaster.”

She said she would love the next president to be a woman‚ but “I would hate to have a female that is a proxy for a man because that would be worse than having a man”.

Madonsela also refused to be drawn on whether her report into the Absa “lifeboat” money had been altered. She said she had “views” on the issue but would not comment publicly. A draft of the report was leaked and published in the Mail & Guardian last week.

She also offer an opinion on the findings that would be made in the final report‚ but said that when released‚ it should be dealt with “with a cool head” and “without vilifying people”. – TMG Digital/Parliament

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