NPA/DPCI JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT ON FINAL STATE CAPTURE REPORT

05 JULY 2022

The National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Shamila Batohi and the National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya, who met on Friday 1 July, following the release of the final State Capture Inquiry Report, express their joint commitment to ensure accountability for those implicated in state capture corruption.

The NPA and DPCI recognise the damaging impact of corruption on the rule of law and South Africa’s development prospects. They recommit to enhancing collaboration and sharing of resources and expertise, to ensure the most effective prosecution-guided approach to these complex matters.

The NPA and DPCI will continue to prioritise state capture matters through the joint NPA/DPCI Task Force, which is a team that was established to drive coordination to ensure impact in response to the Zondo reports.

The comprehensive report contains over 150 recommendations relevant to the two entities, many of which relate to matters already being handled by the NPA’s Investigating Directorate (ID) and the DPCI.

The final Zondo report provides additional impetus for increased cooperation and urgency in execution of respective NPA/DPCI mandates. Important progress has already been made: 86 investigations have been declared by the ID, 21 matters enrolled in court, and 65 accused persons appearing in court on alleged state capture crimes.

Additional seminal matters will be enrolled before the end of September 2022. Seminal matters refer to cases involving the alleged architects of state capture, including influential persons and private sector actors, and/or large sums of money. These cases will be handled by a dedicated teams of investigators and prosecutors who have the necessary expertise in prosecution-guided processes involving complex matters.

The teams will be sufficiently resourced and co-located either in the NPA or the DPCI offices. The NPA and DPCI are harnessing all their resources and expertise, reprioritising matters to ensure that state capture cases proceed as a matter of urgency in our commitment to ensure accountability and uphold the rule of law.

Issued by Adv Mthunzi Mhaga (NPA Spokesperson) and Brig. Nomthandazo Mbambo (DPCI Spokesperson), 6 July 2022