Zondo Commission

The group overseen by Advocate Serunye dealt with high-level corruption in the public and private sectors by identifying potential cases from recommendations of Commissions of Inquiry such as the Zondo and Mpati Commissions.

“I was overseeing a group that was dealing with high-level corruption in the public and private sectors. We identified potential cases from the recommendations and evidence of Commissions of Inquiry that I have earlier listed, the Zondo, Mpati, and Nugent Commission.”

Information for cases investigated usually comes from commissions of inquiry, notably the Zondo Commission, and also from Section 27 referrals, which are briefed to investigation teams.

“the sources of information will come from the commissions of inquiries. Mostly cases that we are working from, they are coming from the Zondo Commission ... with regards to section 27 ...”

Investigators get access to commission records and statements to complement briefing information, but with Section 27 referrals there is often no other source of information beyond the briefing, making them more challenging to work on.

“you can go back to the records of Zondo Commission, then you can try to suss out or maybe to get more information ... section 27, it is a bit challenging because you rely more on the briefing, but you do not have any other source ...”

An individual with strong personal ethics in a structurally corrupt system is powerless, lacks institutional support for ethical behaviour, and faces continued pressure to ignore misconduct, with examples from Zondo Commission and Madlanga Commission.

“A n i n d i v i d u a l w i t h s t r o n g p e r s o n a l e t h i c s o p e r a t i n g i n s i d e a s t r u c t u r a l l y c o r r u p t s y s t e m ... B o t h t h e Z o n d o C o m m i s s i o n a n d e v i d e n c e b e f o r e t h e M a d l a n g a C o m m i s s i o n p r o v i d e s u c h e x a m p l e s ...”

Mrs. Hongwe P expresses cautious optimism about the Madlanga Commission's work and hopes for meaningful crime fighting in South Africa, contrasting it with earlier commissions like the Zondo Commission.

“I appreciate the level of the Madlanga Commission work ... I was seeing a Zondo Commission 2 ... it was not going where we wanted to ... But when we as the MKP members in the Ad Hoc changed the notch , people in South Africa focused so , so much in the Ad Hoc until something changed here . ... I appreciate you guys for being fair and honest ... The South Africans are seeing that exactly as I see it ... I hope we work together in fighting this crime in South Africa ...”

Humbulani Khuba's affidavit is missing original statement submitted to Zondo Commission but draft affidavits and email correspondence exist showing a process of iterative drafting.

“I cannot find the original affidavit that I submitted in 2020 to the Zondo Commission. However, what I have been able to locate are the emails from the Zondo Commission giving me draft affidavit... making affidavits for a commission, it is an iterative process”

General Mkhwanazi was involved in misconduct 14 years ago and covered it up for 8 years, only revealing a version of events at the Zondo Commission without full details of what actually took place.

“no t only was h e p r e v i o u s l y i n v o l v e d i n t h a t c o n d u c t , b u t f o r 8 y e a r s h e c o v e r e d i t u p , f o r 8 w h o l e y e a r s . A n d i t o n l y c a m e o u t w h e n h e m a d e h i s s t a t e m e n t a t t h e Z o n d o C o m m i s s i o n”

General Mkhwanazi did not provide chapter and verse on events related to political interference at the Zondo Commission in 2020, though he mentioned dates of meetings in affidavits.

“What he stated to the Zondo Commission in 2020 was not chapter and verse. He did not ... The thing was kept vague and deliberately kept vague ... But in the affidavit before the Zondo Commission, he does mention the dates of the meetings.”