Madonsela reiterates amnesty is key to breaking complicated web of state capture

Former public protector Thuli Madonsela says SA should consider amnesty for individuals who played a small but significant role in enabling state capture.

She says this would enable more people to speak up knowing they will not face dire consequences.

Madonsela was reacting to the release of the fifth and final volume of the state capture report, which in part focuses on evidence of corruption at the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa).

The commission found the passenger rail service was in the past decade run into the ground by corrupt elements and that it fell victim to state capture.

She told eNCA amnesty would not be granted to “the big guys,” but rather to small but significant players in the web of state capture.

“The only way you can cut the tentacles of the monster that is corruption is to make sure that everyone who has been involved in the syndicate is accounted for and those who are small role players are given some form of amnesty.

“I’m not asking for amnesty for the big guys, I’m asking for amnesty for the finance clerk, the HR clerk, the supply chain management managers, the ordinary foot soldiers. I don’t think we will lose much if we give amnesty to the foot soldiers of corruption.”

Madonsela said these whistle-blowers would be rehabilitated and removed from their respective positions to dismantle the web of corruption.

“As long as the corrupt ringleaders have a hold over the system, then the system continues to be corrupt,” she said.

Among kingpins at the agency, the commission found, was former boss Lucky Montana, who was found to have influenced which service providers were awarded multimillion-rand tenders at Prasa.

Commission chairperson Raymond Zondo recommended further investigation of the Prasa web of corruption through an inquiry, including into Montana. 

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