Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Presidency has rejected speculation of interference in the judiciary, as it awaits the final part of the Zondo Commission’s report on state capture.
The report, which has been delayed several times, is expected to be handed over on Wednesday.
News24 previously reported that DA leader John Steenhuisen had said it was inappropriate for President Cyril Ramaphosa to have communicated with commission chair, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, about the release of the final part of the report, as it may make findings against the president and the ANC’s cadre deployment policy.
The final part of the commission’s report was expected to be handed over to Ramaphosa last Wednesday. However, Zondo informed Ramaphosa on Thursday that the report would be delayed.
In a media statement on Saturday, the commission said it was not able to submit the final part of its report as expected “due to certain challenges”. Sunday night was set as the new handover time.
Vincent Magwenya, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, said:
READ | Zondo on delayed state capture report: Stage set to fight off legal attack after missing court deadline
On Monday morning, Ramaphosa and Zondo held a brief telephone call in which Zondo “offered reassurance on the delivery of the report and discussed the coordination for the handover ceremony”, said Magwenya.
The commission’s team had informed the Presidency that the report would be finalised after the sitting of the Judicial Service Commission on Monday but not in time for the promised handover at 18:00 on the same day. No handover of the report can take place until and unless the Chief Justice has finalised his work, according to Magwenya.
But by Monday at 23:00, the Presidency had still had not received any copy of the final part of the report from the commission, he added.
“The Presidency, therefore, rejects claims that the President has in any manner interfered with the work of the commission or the judiciary, as speculated by some opposition parties. Communication between the Chief Justice and the President has been over the delays in the delivery of the report and finalising the date for the official handover of the report,” said Magwenya.
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