Zondo on State capture prosecutions: 'The pace is not satisfactory'

JOHANNESBURG - Chief Justice Raymond Zondo says while criticism of the slow pace of State capture prosecutions is understandable, it’s crucial for the National Prosecuting Authority to be ready when it takes a case to court.

More than two years after the State Capture Commission of Inquiry - which Zondo chaired - released its final report, there have only been a handful of prosecutions and there have been calls from civil society and the public at large to pick up the pace.

Speaking to Eyewitness News in a wide-ranging interview ahead of his upcoming retirement, Zondo touched on the issue.

"I think that there is no doubt that the pace is not satisfactory. It is slow. There is no doubt about that. But, of course, what I would say is that one must also bear in mind that we don't want the NPA to rush to take cases to court that are not ready, that have not been properly investigated."

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Last April, the accused in the Nulane matter were discharged and last November, the case against former Eskom executive Masthela Koko and 18 others was struck from the roll due to unreasonable delays as was the Estina case, earlier this month.

Zondo says when the prosecuting authorities aren’t ready, “people who may be guilty of corruption, get off scot-free”.

"So on the one hand, one understands the public's impatience. But on the other hand, I would rather wait a bit, let them do a proper job before they take it to court.  Because criminals will get encouraged if each time the NPA takes a case of corruption to court, the case is thrown out."

Against this backdrop, Zondo says patience may be a virtue in these circumstances.

To watch more of this interview, visit the Eyewitness News YouTube page.