South Africa
Zondo Commission deadline extended─── 06:43 Tue, 25 Feb 2020
The High Court in Pretoria on Monday granted the judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture a final extension to complete its work by 31 March 2021.
In January, the commission’s chairperson Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo announced that they had applied for another High Court application to extend its period to December this year.
The commission was initially granted an extension to February 2020, but Zondo said that time was inadequate to finish its work. He had warned that if the commission was not granted the extension, it wouldn’t be able to make any findings.
Judge Wendy Hughes granted the extension of the commission’s period by a year from 1 March 2020 to 31 March 2021. The judge also directed President Cyril Ramaphosa to give effect to the court ruling and amend the proclamation that established the commission in 2018 accordingly.
If the High Court didn’t grant the extension of the commission’s deadline, Zondo previously said the commission could have request Ramaphosa to narrow the terms of reference to former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report, which established the commission, in order for it to complete its work.
