State Capture Report Release Goes Ahead As Planned, Democracy in Action’s Attempt To Prevent It Fails

• Democracy in Action's appeal for the first section of the State Capture Report to not be handed to President Ramaphosa was dismissed
• Their appeal was struck from the roll due to it being deemed not urgent by the Johannesburg High Court
• The NGO believes that Ramaphosa receiving the report consists a conflict of interest as he is implicated therein

JOHANNESBURG - Yesterday (3 January) the NGO Democracy in Action submitted an urgent appeal to the Johannesburg High Court which requested that the State Capture report not be handed to President Ramaphosa today.

The court responded by striking the case from the roll and allowing the first section of the report to be released today. Democracy in Action believes that there are several conflicts of interest that make it inappropriate for the president to receive the report.

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According to SABC News, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has started to investigate some of the cases which came to light in the report. The NPA has stated that they are able to prosecute complex, high-profile public figures.

The Johannesburg High Court ordered Democracy in Action to pay costs after their appeal was dismissed, EWN reports. The presiding officer referred to the NGO's appeal as "shoddy", "frivolous" and accused the group of abusing the court.

Reactions to Democracy in Action's loss

Nxamalala Pat remarked:

It was so obvious, any court case against Ramaphosa is dismissed.

Mamwelase GN Mazibuko asked:

"Can someone explain who besides Ramaphosa can receive the report? If they had won who was going to receive it?"

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Bab Dumakude believes:

"Absolutely not surprising, since everything seems captured in South Africa, even the judicial system."

Thapelo MrPelo Thameng said:

"Taking Ramaphoza or Zondo to court is just a waste of time, money and state resources."

King Maveric shared:

"That report has lost credibility since it's going straight to the person who is also implicated. We also know his allies will be protected and his enemies will be thrown under the bus."

Sipho Khanyile believes:

"Ramaphosa always wins court cases."

Democracy In Action urgently asks court not to hand first part to Ramaphosa

In other news about the State Capture Report, Briefly News reported yesterday that an NGO called Democracy in Action submitted an urgent appeal to the Johannesburg High Court to stop the first section of the State Capture Report from being handed to President Cyril Ramaphosa on 4 January.

Democracy in Action expressed their concern towards those witnesses who are named as implicating the president in the report, especially once he reads it. On 4 January Ramaphosa is expected to receive the first part of the three-part report and release it to the public shortly afterwards.

The NGO would prefer David Mabuza, the deputy president, to receive the report instead of his superior, as Ramaphosa was the deputy president during the period which the report investigated, which presents a conflict of interest.

Source: Briefly News