STATE CAPTURE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS IMPLEMENTING CONFERENCE REPORT

The report details a conference focused on the slow implementation of the Zondo Commission's recommendations. Key discussions highlighted failures in parliamentary oversight, the need for a dedicated anti-corruption agency for public procurement, and the structural flaws of state-owned enterprises. It emphasizes that while the Presidency claims progress in legislative reform and criminal investigations, civil society and legal experts argue that systemic corruption requires a broader approach beyond mere prosecution, including incentivised whistleblowing and a fundamental shift in political culture.

• Chief Justice Raymond Zondo expressed concern that the 2023 Public Procurement Bill fails to include the Commission's most important recommendation: the establishment of an anti-corruption agency specifically focused on public procurement.
• The Presidency reports that 60 per cent of its responses to the State Capture Report concern specific people and events, while the remainder are reform proposals. Currently, 38 of 193 recommendations for criminal investigation are in court.
• Parliament is criticised for an 'accountability deficit' and a failure to act with urgency. Specifically, quarterly reports on the progress of implementing the Commission's recommendations, which were expected starting June 2022, have not been produced.
• The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) notes that 90 per cent of its investigations relate to public procurement. The SIU is currently investigating the China South Rail agreement with Transnet, which represents the largest misappropriated sums under its review.
• Experts argue that the collapse of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) is driven by deep structural problems rather than just state capture, specifically the flawed assumption that public companies should be run using private sector governance models.
• Current whistleblower protections are described as complex and insufficient. The report highlights the need for consolidated legislation and the implementation of the Commission's recommendation to reward whistleblowers using recovered funds.
• The National Anti-corruption Advisory Council (NACAC) advocates for a multi-disciplinary approach to corruption that addresses 'institutional corruption' and 'influence markets' between the public and private sectors, noting that a purely punitive legal model is insufficient.
• The Public Procurement Bill is criticised for centralising too much power in the Minister of Finance and for failing to make the proposed Public Procurement Office independent.

APA

Public Affairs Research Institute (2023). STATE CAPTURE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS IMPLEMENTING CONFERENCE REPORT. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ZondoCon-report28-11-23.pdf

Chicago

Public Affairs Research Institute. STATE CAPTURE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS IMPLEMENTING CONFERENCE REPORT. 2023. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ZondoCon-report28-11-23.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Public Affairs Research Institute |title=STATE CAPTURE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS IMPLEMENTING CONFERENCE REPORT |date=2023 |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ZondoCon-report28-11-23.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{publicaffairsresearchinstitute2023state, author = {{Public Affairs Research Institute}}, title = {{STATE CAPTURE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS IMPLEMENTING CONFERENCE REPORT}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, year = {2023}, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ZondoCon-report28-11-23.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }