Good morning. Here’s what you need to know today:
Last night chief justice Raymond Zondo delivered the delayed final part of the state capture report to President Cyril Ramaphosa while the government quietly did away with all remaining Covid-19 restrictions via a simple government gazette.
Jacob Zuma damned SA to state capture, but Ramaphosa could have weakened its grip – Zondo – News24
Zondo found that while the ANC was led by former president Jacob Zuma it “permitted, supported and enabled corruption and state capture” but the land’s top judge questioned whether Ramaphosa could have intervened at an early state to arrest some of the rot.
Zondo’s findings are damning for the ANC and question Ramaphosa’s role as well. There is a raft of further names recommended for prosecution, but the big question now is whether the report will be used to enact change and act against the perpetrators?
“President Zuma enabled, indirectly, the members of the Gupta family as businesspeople to occupy a place of prominence over other businessmen, to the detriment of the empowerment legislative imperative of the Republic of South Africa,” reads the report. Read more here. (for subscribers)
Duduzane, Hlaudi, Fraser and Ace head the all-star possible prosecution list – Daily Maverick
Meanwhile, the final report added some new names to the massive list of those already implicated in the previous reports.
Among those the report recommends the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) investigate for potential prosecution related to state capture crimes are Zuma’s son Duduzane Zuma, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, Ace Magashule, and former spy boss Arthur Fraser.
Rebecca Davis has compiled the full list of names recommended for further prosecution here, which also includes links to the previous four report lists.
IT’S OFFICIAL: Face masks are gone, border checks and gatherings ban dropped – Business Insider
In what was the most understated reaction from the government during the entire Covid-19 pandemic thus far, health minister Joe Phaahla quietly removed all the remaining restrictions via government gazette last night.
The move was in stark contrast to other Covid-19 developments where President Ramaphosa would appear on our television screens for a ‘family meeting’ to announce the smallest change to Covid-19 protocols.
The mask mandate, limits on gatherings and border checks for Covid-19 – and the need to be vaccinated to enter South Africa – were all dropped ahead of a planned press conference formally announcing the changes today. Read more here.
Here’s a round-up of what else we’re reading:
FULL TEXT | ‘State capture was an assault on our democracy’ – Ramaphosa – News24
Will scrapping face masks make a difference to Covid-19 infections? – TimesLIVE
It might not end state capture, but the report recommendations can help – Zondo – EWN
Law enforcement should investigate Magashule, Zwane and Thabethe over Estina Dairy – Daily Maverick
Zondo says he has no regrets as final report on state capture is released – News24
Zuma abused his powers by enriching Guptas’ media empire via SABC, inquiry finds – Daily Maverick
Inflation jumps to 5-year high, breaks through Reserve Bank target range – EWN
Image Credit: Raymond Zondo hands over the fifth and final state capture report to Cyril Ramaphosa. Gallo Images/Alet Pretorius
