Following the release of the final report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State, hereon referred to as the Zondo Commission or State Capture Commission, PMG published a review of Parliament’s oversight, pointing to institutional weaknesses prompting Judge Zondo to ask “Where was Parliament” as State Capture gripped the state. This review set the scene and provided a broad overview of parliamentary oversight. We also made findings and recommendations for Parliament to strengthen its oversight function.

Broadly, the Zondo Commission put forward that weaknesses in parliamentary oversight and Executive accountability had, over time, contributed to corruption and maladministration and recommended that Parliament consider reforms to improve its oversight and accountability function. The Commission made ten key recommendations. These included procedures concerned with– House resolutions emanating from oversight activities and responses thereto; Executive reports and submissions to Parliament; Executive attendance; Selection of office-bearers in state institutions; Establishment of an oversight committee over the Presidency; and the Appointment of committee chairpersons.

The final tranche of the State Capture Commission’s Reports was released in June 2022 and the President submitted his response to Parliament in October 2022.

This review is a follow-up of our 2022 report to give an account of what Parliament has done since Chief Justice Zondo released his findings and recommendations and present our views on how the institution can strengthen its oversight processes, specifically those related to the committee system.

You can read it here: A PMG Review of Parliament’s Processing of the State Capture Commission Report