DURBAN - THE much-awaited handing over of the first part of the state capture commission report on Tuesday could be delayed after lobby group Democracy In Action (DIA) filed court papers to stop President Cyril Ramaphosa from receiving it.
It was widely reported on Sunday that the commission would hand over the first part of its report to the president on Tuesday.
On Sunday, DIA said it had filed court papers in the South Gauteng High Court to stop Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo from releasing the state capture report to Ramaphosa, whom it said was “conflicted”.
DIA chairperson Thabo Mtshweni told the Daily News on Sunday that his group filed papers on Saturday on a urgent basis and were expecting the matter to be heard on Monday, adding that Ramaphosa was conflicted and should not be given the report because he had been allegedly implicated by some witnesses who appeared before the commission.
Commission spokesperson Reverend Mbuyiselo Stemela said he had briefed the chairperson of the commission, Justice Zondo, on the development and was awaiting for his response, but at the time of the publication he had not responded further.
The Daily News reported on Friday that the DIA would go to court to interdict the commission from handing the report to the president, after the commission had not responded to numerous letters it had written making this request.
Mtshweni said the president should delegate someone or Deputy President David Mabuza to accept the report on his behalf.
In a statement issued last week, the commission said it would submit part I of the report by the end of last year but failed to do that, and it was now expected to hand over part 1 on Tuesday and part II later in January, while the final report (part III) is expected to be ready in February.
Although the final report could reach the Presidency in February, the public will only see it in June when the president tables it in Parliament.
Daily News