‘People want to see the big people being arrested’: Ramaphosa vows action on corruption

President Cyril Ramaphosa says implementing the recommendations of major commissions of inquiry remains central to the government’s strategy to tackle crime and corruption. Speaking at an “Evening with the President” event hosted by the ANC at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in eThekwini, Ramaphosa outlined the government’s priorities with a strong focus on law enforcement and accountability. “Tackling organised crime and infrastructure sabotage is another area of key focus and implementing the recommendations of the Zondo commission of inquiry and now going to implement the recommendations of the Madlanga commission,” he said.

Ramaphosa said South Africans were eager to see tangible consequences for those implicated in corruption. “People want to see the big people being arrested and being sent to jail and wearing orange overalls. That is mostly what they want to see and that, too, is on its way because the NPA is working on all the issues that it needs to work on,” he said.

He said the implementation of the recommendations was already under way. “Various recommendations are going to be implemented, as we will implement the Madlanga commission recommendations, and we have already started.” People want to see the big people being arrested and being sent to jail and wearing orange overalls. Ramaphosa stressed that rebuildingstate capacityand strengthening law enforcement remained a core priority.

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“Our government places strong emphasis on rebuilding the state. And our key priorities here are to strengthen law enforcement and the prosecutorial capacity.” He dismissed claims that recommendations of commissions were being ignored. “People often say we don’t implement recommendations from commissions of inquiry.

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