Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday reaffirmed his support for a judicial inquiry into state capture, but shed light on why he opposed a court application to force him to institute the commission of inquiry.
This after conservative civil rights organisation AfriForum -- along with the Quaker Peace Centre and the FW de Klerk Foundation -- last month brought an application before the Constitutional Court to order Ramaphosa to establish a commission of inquiry into the allegations of state capture.
President Jacob Zuma and the South African government are respondents along with Ramaphosa.
After Ramaphosa indicated that he would oppose this application with the other respondents, AfriForum criticised him, saying he was contradicting himself.
"Ramaphosa's recent statements in the media that he would approve the appointment of a commission are inconsistent with his opposition of AfriForum's application. In fact, the application would empower him to establish such a commission," said Monique Taute, head of AfriForum's anti-corruption unit, according to a press statement.
On Saturday, Ramaphosa responded in a press release, saying he "reiterated his widely stated support for the establishment, without delay, of a judicial commission of inquiry into state capture".
"Deputy President Ramaphosa opposes this application, based on his understanding that the Constitution does not permit the deputy president to exercise presidential powers unless delegated," read the statement.
Former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, in her final report which dealt with state capture, recommended that Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng appoint a judge to head a commission of inquiry into state capture.
Zuma took the report on review, and this past week Madonsela's successor, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, filed opposing court papers. -- News24