A report by South Africa’s Public Protector has triggered the latest scandal involving President Jacob Zuma and other state officials, who are accused of improper and unethical conduct in the awarding of state contracts. The latest investigation focuses on allegations of Gupta business family involvement in the removal and appointment of ministers and directors of state companies, resulting in the improper awarding of state contracts and benefits to their businesses totaling billions of rand.The Public Protector’s report is popularly known as the “state capture report,” referring to corruption enabling powerful individuals, institutions, companies, or groups to influence a nation’s policies, legal environment, and economy to benefit their private interests, often with negative consequences for economic development, regulatory quality, and the provision of public services. These allegations are likely to intensify citizens’ already-deep concerns about official corruption and inadequate accountability.
