Political affiliation has no bearing on prosecuting state capture-accused

CAPE TOWN - Deputy Justice Minister Andries Nel says political affiliation has no bearing on whether or not to prosecute those implicated by the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.

As was the case in the National Assembly last week, Nel on Wednesday fielded a question on the topic in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), despite Justice Minister Thembi Simelane being present in the house.

Simelane has been in the spotlight over the past week amid a media investigation pointing to alleged improper links to the now-defunct VBS bank.

But her deputy said she was ready to answer all questions on the matter.

Nel said Simelane was committed to cooperating with all bodies investigating her links to the VBS bank, through which she’s alleged to have indirectly received a loan to buy a coffee shop.

“There’s no effort at all to hide anything from anyone or to shirk accountability. And I think that should suffice for now.”

Simelane has already been asked to submit a report to the President and is set to appear before Parliament’s justice committee on Friday on the same matter.

Simelane later went on to answer Members of Parliament (MP)’s other questions impacting the judiciary including the shortage of judges to hear complex crime matters.

Meanwhile, Nel said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had already demonstrated that it was prosecuting state capture crimes without fear or favour.

“Those investigations and those prosecutions are ongoing, they will continue and those who are guilty will be brought to book.”

Nel also rebuffed claims from the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s Nick Gotsell that the Zondo Commission’s evidence files were being withheld from the NPA.

He said protocols were being established to allow prosecutors to search them without compromising the state’s protection of the documents.

The NPA currently has 115 active state capture investigations, with 37 cases enrolled involving 208 accused.