South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (Zondo Commission) for four days next month, the presidency said on Wednesday, reported News 24.
The judicial commission is investigating allegations of looting and corruption which resulted in billions being stolen when former president Jacob Zuma was in power. Zuma was forced to resign in 2018 after pressure from his own African National Congress (ANC) party.
During a television broadcast, Judge Raymond Zondo, the chairman of the commission, said Ramaphosa is summoned for four days, April 22, 23, and 28, 29. Zondo said Ramaphosa will give evidence as both as leader of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), as well as president and former vice-president of the country (2014-2018). In both instances, Ramaphosa served as deputy under Zuma’s leadership.
“On April 22 and 23, those dates are provided for the ruling party, the ANC,” Zondo said. “April 28 and 29 is when President Ramaphosa will be testifying in his capacity as president of the country.”
The South African President has always stressed on the need to respect the country’s constitution and rule of law.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Tyrone Seale, confirmed in a statement that the president would testify in line with his many public statements in which he has expressed his willingness to testify before the inquiry commission.
The commission has implicated a number of senior officials including Zuma, his former cabinet members, and CEOs of state-owned entities.
Zuma, who denies any wrongdoing, failed to recuse himself from the Zondo corruption inquiry and chose not to recognize the commission’s authority, saying Zondo is biased against him. The former South African president faces possible arrest after he refused to appear before the commission and respond to the allegations. The case is being heard on Thursday.
