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Former South African President Zuma named in new disturbing corruption report

The newest report from the panel of investigation into state capture has shown that former President Zuma was willing to do everything asked by the infamous Gupta family, which has fled South Africa

On April 29 (Friday), the presidency of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, received the fourth portion of the inquiry into the conspiracies that led to the plundering of South Africa’s national finances during former President Jacob Zuma’s administration from 2009-2018.

Since January 2022, Chief Justice of South Africa Raymond Zondo’s anti-corruption committee has been churning out the results of four years of research and hundreds of hours of hearings into organised state corruption related to the Gupta brothers, a sulphurous trio of Indian-origin industrialists.

Latest report targets embezzlement at Eskom

The latest report focuses on embezzlement at Eskom, the state-owned electrical utility.

The Guptas drew up a strategy to take over Eskom, according to the study, and former president Zuma was a crucial player in influencing the board’s composition in their favour.

Former management, against whom Judge Zondo is proposing criminal charges, is accused of entering into shady contracts with consulting companies for more than €96 million.

A coal supply deal worth more than €221 million with a Gupta-owned business, Tegeta, was also soiled by irregularities.

In his report, Judge Zondo remarks that it is apparent that President Zuma did whatever the Guptas requested from the beginning of his first term in the office.

Eskom, which provides over 90% of South Africa’s power, is striving to recover from the malfeasance, with a debt of almost 24 billion euros. It often puts the country into darkness with load shedding due to its inability to maintain aged power plants.

Fraud in contracts for social housing, removal of asbestos

The audit also discovered possible fraud in contracts for social housing and the removal of asbestos (naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral) in the Free State province, which was then led by Ace Magashule, one of the ruling ANC party’s most senior officials.

The study calls the project a ‘debacle’, claiming that either no houses were built or few dwellings were built that they aren’t worth noting.

Roughly 30 billion euros had been embezzled: President Cyril Ramaphosa

The final report is slated to be submitted by June 15. The president of South Africa will then have to decide whether or not to go ahead with the prosecution.

It is in place to mention here that President Cyril Ramaphosa calculated that roughly 30 billion euros had been embezzled after taking over from Zuma, after Cyril made corruption his target. He too, however, has been summoned to appear before the panel of inquiry.

The former President Zuma was sentenced to jail for refusing to testify before the commission and is now on parole. In July, his detention provoked rioting that resulted in the deaths of over 350 people in the country.

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Aasif Ganaie

Aasif is a journalist and a news enthusiast based in Jammu & Kashmir. He voyages to explore and uncover the stories More »

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