Former finance minister Trevor Manuel has joined a growing chorus of calls for a judicial commission of inquiry into state capture.
Manuel told the World Economic Forum Africa gathering of political and business leaders that "we have a fundamental problem. There's a report called State of Capture [by former public protector Thuli Madonsela]. It fingers our utilities [state-owned enterprises] as a mess of corruption".
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa as well as former finance minister Pravin Gordhan have called for a judicial commission in the past two weeks.
"We need to jail those involved in corruption. Let's not pretend," said Manuel.
He addressed his comments to Public Enterprises minister Lynne Brown who said earlier she has lobbed the investigative probes into two utilities back to the private sector for findings before acting.
Eskom acting CEO Matshela Koko is facing an investigation for multimillion-rand contracts granted to a company where his recently graduated daughter is a director.
Manuel said boards should not award tenders -- this a practice on big parastatal boards. Brown said she received reports of corruption almost every day. She also said she believed corruption could only be minimised, not eradicated.