The opening quote, from the first volume of the report of the Commission of Enquiry into State Capture, chaired by Justice Raymond Zondo, refers to the decline of state-owned enterprises such as SAA, Eskom and Denel, but it could be applied equally accurately to a range of other public services and state activities, from passenger rail to policing, and from water-provision to waste removal.

The list of government’s failures to carry out its basic tasks is a practically endless one.

Paper by the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office