The Inkatha Freedom Party welcomes the announcement made last night by President Zuma on the appointment of a judicial commission of inquiry into state capture.

We welcome the fact that sanity has finally prevailed over the President after a litany of unnecessary appeals, delays and wasting of tax payer money in this process.

We believe that now is an opportunity for the dark cloud that is hanging over this government to be dissipated and it is our expectation that the commission of inquiry will be fully resourced and receive the fullest cooperation from those implicated in state capture, so as to complete the work which the Public Protector started over two years ago.

Finally, we wish to caution the President to not try and ‘rewrite’ or ‘revamp’ the terms of reference for the commission of inquiry as such have been succinctly spelt out by the Public Protector and require no presidential ‘adjustment’. If the President is of the view that further commissions of inquiry should be commissioned to look at any other aspects not covered by the terms of reference and mandate of this commission, then and in that event, he has the power to appoint such further commissions.

He should however not attempt to muddy the water in this commission in which he is directly implicated, and we would accordingly urge his refrain in this regard.

 

Issued by IFP