NPA creates State Capture task force after Zondo highlights its failings

The Money Show's Bruce Whitfield interviews legal journalist Karyn Maughan.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has announced the establishment of a task force dedicated to state capture.

This follows the release last week of the first part of the State Capture Inquiry report, which slammed the Authority for its dismal record in prosecuting state capture corruption cases.

The NPA's statement on Wednesday was released together with the Hawks, or Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI).

Joint NPA / DPCI statement on the release of the Zondo Commission Report pic.twitter.com/YfKQam5ty6

— NPASouthAfrica (@NPA_Prosecutes) January 12, 2022

It states that the two bodies are systematically reviewing the Zondo Commission's findings and recommendations, with a view to investigating and building cases for criminal prosecution.

It builds on the work already done within the NPA over the past few years, in collaboration with the Zondo Commission and law enforcement partners... It will include, where appropriate, the freezing and forfeiture of the proceeds of these crimes.

NPA/DPCI statement

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Bruce Whitfield interviews legal journalist Karyn Maughan and asks whether the NPA response to the report is reactionary rather than strategic?

The important thing to mention at this point is that the Zondo Commission made probably one of the most damning findings that have ever been made against the National Prosecuting Authority. It found that the NPA had fundamentally failed in what the Commission describes as 'its sovereign state function' to prosecute procurement corruption.

Karyn Maughan, Legal journalist

In other words, the NPA is the only entity that is mandated and legally able to prosecute corruption and had failed substantively to do so.

Karyn Maughan, Legal journalist

She notes that the Commission also drew attention to the fact that Public Finance Management Act and legislation governing corruption had hardly been utilised by the NPA.

The Commission citing that as clear evidence of a failure by the state to properly deal with corruption.

Karyn Maughan, Legal journalist

Eight days after that we now see a three-page statement from law enforcement promising a task force and various other interventions, but no real indication of the clear need for substantive policy to start addressing the competence and capacity deficit that has bedevilled corruption prosecutions thus far.

Karyn Maughan, Legal journalist

Listen to the full interview in the audio clip below:

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