The Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions, Rodney de Kock has warned that the time for corruption with impunity was over, as the National Prosecuting Authority was clamping down on corruption.
De Kock said they were also prosecuting State Capture cases arising from the Zondo Commission’s report and some of the cases were already in court.
The NPA was working with the Special Investigating Unit, the Financial Intelligence Centre, the Investigating Directorate and the Hawks to crackdown on State Capture and other corruption-related cases.
De Kock, who was on Tuesday briefing members of Parliament’s portfolio committee on justice on the implementation of the Zondo Commission’s report, said they have made progress in prosecuting State Capture cases.
He said the Investigating Directorate was probing 99 cases and there were 34 cases in court. He said 205 people have been charged for these crimes.
He added that the Special Commercial Crimes Unit in provinces has enrolled 34 cases in court, with 363 people charged.
“These are matters in relation to serious corruption. They are matters that are more than dealing with recommendations of the Zondo Commission, but they also speak to state capture,” said De Kock.
He said the Asset Forfeiture Unit has obtained freezing orders to the value of R14 billion and made recoveries of R5.4bn.
The time for corruption with impunity was over, said De Kock.
“We submit, as the NPA, as the prosecuting authority and as the prosecution working on these matters, that the narrative that the NPA is doing nothing, is both wrong and dangerous.
“The prosecution of high-profile government and private sector actors is taking place. A lot of work is being done through our various investigating agencies and we submit that impunity no longer prevails.
“This is the message that prosecution sends out to society and to other actors that impunity for corruption no longer prevails and the prosecuting authority, with its partners, are hard at work to address this,” said De Kock.
He said they were following up on the recommendations from the Zondo Commission.
Chief Justice Raymond Zondo tabled his final report in June last year.
De Kock said they are implementing these recommendations through action.
“The Zondo Commission findings do not provide a blueprint for successful prosecution of cases. Successful prosecution is far more complex and the test in a criminal court is of a far more onerous nature,” said De Kock.
But the Zondo Commission has pointed a direction that needs to be followed when it comes to prosecuting these cases, he said.
They have been prosecuting cases since Zondo released the final report in June last year.
Part of their approach is that they prioritise cases. They work with other law enforcement agencies on these cases.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@oinl.co.za
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