Chairing state capture commission strengthened resolve to fight corruption, says Zondo

JOHANNESBURG - Chief Justice Raymond Zondo said that chairing the State Capture Commission of Inquiry strengthened his own resolve to be part of the fight against corruption.

The commission sat for a gruelling four years and saw Zondo and his family on the receiving end of threats and abuse.

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Zondo spoke on how the experience changed him on a personal level during a wide-ranging interview with Eyewitness News ahead of his upcoming retirement as leader of the judiciary and the country’s highest court.

"One saw how money that was meant to be used for taxpayers to build roads, to build clinics, to build schools, and so on was lost through corruption, and you think about the challenges that a lot of communities face without bridges - you have places where kids can't go to school if it's raining because there is no bridge, and the school is on the other side of the river. So, it strengthened my resolve."

Zondo said that chairing the commission underlined the importance of the rule of law for him.

"And also, how important it is that in an inquiry such as that, that the chairperson and all concerned should seek to treat everyone fairly."