REPORT

The report documents a conference hosted by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) focused on the systemic nature of state capture in South Africa. It details the erosion of institutions like SARS and the PIC, discusses the role of commissions of inquiry (Zondo, Nugent, and PIC), and explores strategies for recovery including 'lawfare', parliamentary oversight, and public advocacy. The document culminates in a Civil Society Charter that outlines a comprehensive program for institutional reform, whistleblower protection, and the pursuit of accountability for those implicated in state capture.

• State capture in South Africa is described as a systemic failure occurring across national, provincial, and local levels, characterized by a decade where key democratic safeguards—including the presidency, cabinet, parliament, and judiciary—failed to function effectively.
• The South African Revenue Service (SARS) was severely damaged by state capture, with its organizational arrangements for integrity and governance described as having been destroyed and dismantled.
• The Public Investment Corporation (PIC) suffered from political abuse and a lack of clear policies regarding politically exposed persons, though it was not as fundamentally broken as SARS.
• Civil society participants cautioned against 'over-judicialisation', arguing that while strategic litigation is necessary, the courts should not bear the entire burden of resolving issues that are fundamentally political.
• Parliamentary oversight is currently hindered by a culture where political party loyalty is prioritized over accountability, leading to a lack of effective questioning of Cabinet ministers.
• Local government faces severe capacity challenges and a lack of consequence management, with an Auditor General report indicating that less than 48% of municipalities implement consequence management.
• The 'fightback' against state capture involves concerted attacks on the media, judiciary, and public servants, as well as the use of disinformation campaigns to undermine the reformation of Chapter 9 institutions.
• The Civil Society Charter calls for specific reforms, including fitness and lifestyle audits for senior management in law enforcement, the establishment of a National Police Board, and the implementation of a Presidential Accountability Committee.

APA

Public Affairs Research Institute (n.d.). REPORT. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AKF_PARI_Civil-Society-ConferenceReport_Oct2019.pdf

Chicago

Public Affairs Research Institute. REPORT. n.d. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AKF_PARI_Civil-Society-ConferenceReport_Oct2019.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Public Affairs Research Institute |title=REPORT |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AKF_PARI_Civil-Society-ConferenceReport_Oct2019.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{publicaffairsresearchinstitutendreport, author = {{Public Affairs Research Institute}}, title = {{REPORT}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AKF_PARI_Civil-Society-ConferenceReport_Oct2019.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }