LIVE FEED: State Capture Inquiry - Aug 12, 2021

President Cyril Ramaphosa will appear at the Zondo commission. Picture: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency (ANA) Archives

President Cyril Ramaphosa will appear at the Zondo commission. Picture: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency (ANA) Archives

Published Aug 12, 2021

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Johannesburg - President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected back at the Zondo commission this morning, to face questions regarding state capture.

Ramaphosa appeared at the inquiry on Wednesday.

He faced questions regarding his role as ANC president and as deputy president of the country.

On Thursday, he will probably be questioned further on his knowledge of various incidents of state capture in the government.

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AFTERNOON SESSION

MORNING SESSION

He has testified about how he contemplated resigning when news of the extent of state capture had begun emerging.

He said he had four options before him – resign, speak out, acquiesce and abet, keep quiet and remain silent, or remain and resist.

The president said he chose to remain and "resist".

"The final option, which was what I chose, was to remain in my position as deputy president – not to resign, not acquiesce and not to be confrontational – but to work with others in the executive to resist abuses and bring about change where we could and to sustain the work of social and economic transformation.

"This meant ‘staying in the arena’, with the challenges, limitations and frustrations inherent in doing so, but it was the course of action that had the greatest likelihood of bringing state capture to an end, restoring the institutions of state and defending our democracy," Ramaphosa said in his opening address at the inquiry.

HE also dealt with Nhlanhla Nene’s removal as finance minister in December 2015 and his replacement with ANC MP Des van Rooyen.

The president said he was very concerned about the market reaction to former president Jacob Zuma’s decision. He told ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte that he would resign.

Ramaphosa detailed how the ANC swayed Zuma to remove Van Rooyen and replace him with Pravin Gordhan.

Zuma gave into the calls and Van Rooyen was removed after a few days in office.

Ramaphosa also distanced himself from the removal of Gordhan in 2017.

He detailed the actions the government had been taking to deal with state capture and corruption since he had taken office.

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Political Bureau