It is no surprise the ANC is calling for a judicial inquiry into state capture following bombshell revelations contained in leaked Gupta e-mails. It can no longer turn a blind eye to a reservoir of evidence of looting of state resources under its watch.
On its face the ANC's call for a judicial inquiry seems reasonable. Not so, in light of South Africa's dismal history with commissions failing to hold anyone responsible. In the context of South Africa's political machinations, a commission to probe state capture is doomed, because it affords ample opportunities, as in the past, for those implicated to manipulate and subvert the very purpose for which the commission is intended.
The revelations are prima facie evidence of particularly serious crimes that demand investigation by the Hawks and prosecution by the NPA. Whether it will be a commission, a criminal investigation, or both, the scandal, like so many others, will be swept under the rug to languish and collect dust. One is then left with the long-held axiom that white-collar crime in South Africa's public sector does pay handsomely.
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