President of South Africa (2009 to 2018)

Jacob Zuma: what the State Capture Commission found, and what happened next

Named in the Commission's report: Part I (SARS); Part II Vol 1 (Transnet); Part III (Bosasa); Part VI.

What the Commission found

• The Commission found that Zuma played a critical role in collusion that weakened SARS, and that he promised Tom Moyane the commissioner post before the formal selection process ended.¹Report reference: Part I, SARS chapter
• The Commission found Zuma's testimony that he had no hand in the capture of Transnet to be untrue, and found that he insisted on appointing Siyabonga Gama as Transnet CEO.⁶Report reference: Part II Vol 1
• The Commission found a reasonable prospect that Zuma violated the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA), finding that he accepted gratification from Bosasa and placed himself in a conflict of interest.²Report reference: Part III (Bosasa)

What it recommended

• In Part I the Commission did not recommend his prosecution over SARS, as reported by Daily Maverick.³
• In Part III the Commission recommended that law enforcement pursue possible PRECCA offences linked to Bosasa, listed him among those the NPA should consider prosecuting under PRECCA, and recommended that he be investigated under the Executive Ethics Code.^2,4

What happened next

1. 30 September 2025No action reported. The IDAC list of state capture cases in court, given in reply to a parliamentary question asked on 30 September 2025, did not include a case against him.⁵

Their response

Bloomberg reported in June 2023 that Zuma denies wrongdoing.

Sources

1. BusinessDay, Zuma, Moyane played 'critical role' in dismantling Sars, Zondo report finds (4 January 2022)
2. Daily Maverick, Charge Zuma, Mokonyane and Mantashe for Bosasa graft, State Capture report recommends (2 March 2022)
3. Daily Maverick, The list: the people and businesses the State Capture Commission recommends for prosecution by the NPA (Part 1) (5 January 2022)
4. Daily Maverick, The people and businesses the State Capture Commission recommends for prosecution by the NPA (Part 3, Bosasa) (3 March 2022)
5. Parliamentary Monitoring Group (ministerial reply), Question NW4912 to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development (reply on IDAC state capture cases) (30 September 2025)
6. TimesLIVE, Wrap: everything you need to know about part 2 of state capture report (2 February 2022)

Commission findings are not criminal convictions. Some findings have been challenged in court. Each finding is attributed to the Commission and linked to its report.