For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Making headlines: State Capture Report makes damning findings against top officials; ANC says it will deal with findings against members; And, South Africa records 139 new deaths and 8 078 infections

State Capture Report makes damning findings against top officials

A judicial commission which has spent almost four years probing corruption in South Africa concluded that the state had been “captured” during former President Jacob Zuma’s tenure and made damning findings against the ruling party and top officials.

The panel, headed by Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, submitted the first of a three-part report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday, with the others to be handed over by the end of next month. Hundreds of witnesses testified how government coffers were systemically looted over the course of Zuma’s almost-nine-year rule.

Zondo found that the state procurement processes were abused, pliable officials were appointed to oversee the improper allocation of government contracts and the ruling African National Congress benefited from the proceeds of corruption.

The initial 874-page document, published on the presidency’s website, covers the panel’s investigations into allegations of wrongdoing at state-owned airline South African Airways and its affiliates, the South African Revenue Service and The New Age, a newspaper owned by the Gupta family, who were close associates of Zuma’s and were in business with one of his sons.

ANC says it will deal with findings against members

The African National Congress says it will put mechanisms in place to process any parts of the State Capture Inquiry's report that pertain to the party, its deployees or members.

The first part of the report implicated ANC "deployees", former president Jacob Zuma and the party.

ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte said the ANC maintained that the commission was a necessary part of a broader effort to end state capture and corruption. According to her, the party is hopeful that the report will detail the nature and extent of state capture and corruption, and present recommendations that assist in taking the country forward.

Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters said the report confirmed what the party had already "warned" the people of South Africa about – that SAA had been "abused" by former president Jacob Zuma, Dudu Myeni and the Guptas for personal enrichment.

And, South Africa records 139 new deaths and 8 078 infections

South Africa recorded 8 078 new Covid-19 infections on Tuesday.

There have been 139 new Covid-19 deaths, bringing the confirmed death toll to 91 451.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases said the 8 078 new Covid-19 cases identified in South Africa represented a 20.1% positivity rate.

There were 309 new hospital admissions in the last 24-hour reporting cycle. As of Tuesday, 8 857 people were in public and private hospitals for Covid-19.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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