Former Chief Justice Zondo slams Hawks, NPA, and government leadership over failure to act on corruption. Image Credit: X @Thabo Makwakwa
(The Post News)- On Wednesday, former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo delivered strong criticism of the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), highlighting their poor performance in addressing corruption within South Africa’s justice system. He made these remarks while speaking at the South African Council of Churches Leaders’ Anti-Corruption Conference, held at FNB Bank City in Johannesburg.
Justice Zondo expressed concern over the declining effectiveness of the country’s police investigative units, particularly when handling corruption cases. As an example, he cited the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) corruption matter, where, despite the seriousness of the allegations, no arrests have been made to date. He further stated, “The NPA is no longer effective. They’ve recently lost a number of serious cases. The now-defunct Scorpions unit, by contrast, was highly effective in holding people accountable for wrongdoing.”
Zondo also voiced frustration that, despite the State Capture Commission submitting its reports in 2022, no meaningful action has been taken against those implicated. In addition, he criticised the government’s spending habits, accusing it of wasting public funds on unnecessary expenses. Zondo also condemned the president’s leadership, particularly his failure to act against certain ministers, including one allegedly involved in a degree qualification scandal. He claimed that although he had informed the president, no action was taken.
He went on to argue that some ministers should not be serving in Parliament due to their alleged involvement in corrupt activities. Zondo concluded by labelling the current leadership as “unethical.
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