EFF CONDEMNS STEINHOFF FUNDING HAWKS INVESTIGATION ON ITS OWN FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY

Thursday, 4 March 2021

The EFF condemns the palpable conflict of interest, in which the Steinhoff has given the investigative agency known as the Hawks R30 million to conduct a probe into Steinhoffs own fraudulent activity. It is the most embarrassing and pathetic representation of the weakness of law agencies in this country, and reveals a deeper capture of our state agencies by white monopoly capital.

The EFF has long held the view that the regime of Cyril Ramaphosa has brought an increased arrogance by the white corporate sector in terms of how it operates and conducts itself. For Steinhoff to have the audacity to fund an investigation into itself is a mockery of our entire democracy, and simply means that a farce of a probe has been set in place, as no agency will find a guilty verdict against those who fund them.

More pointedly, Steinhoffs arrogant show of power confirms to us that the establishment has bought and captured the current regime and has the ability to determine outcomes of legal processes through funding them.

The culture of buying strategic arms of the state to ensure that white capital avoids accountability begins at the sealing of the CR17 documents, and Steinhoff is simply continuing what it believes is a normal state of affairs.

We call on the Hawks to decisively reject funding from Steinhoff and conduct a transparent and independent investigation into the large scale fraud conducted by a company that has no regard for the financial laws of this country.

The impunity that white monopoly capital operates with in this country must be undermined with the contempt it deserves, and it is clear that the current regime hasno financial or political capacity to do so, and the only solution to this is their removal from power.

Statement issued by EFF, 4 March 2021