Former president Jacob Zuma has again denied that the South African state was ever captured‚ saying the term was just a “politically decorated expression”.
Addressing students at the Walter Sisulu University of Technology in Mthatha on Wednesday‚ Zuma said the term was used by people who wanted to achieve certain political outcomes.
He said the state was composed of three elements – the legislature‚ the judiciary and the executive – and that none of them were captured. “If that is the case‚ what is this thing called state capture‚ state capture? Does it mean these three arms are captured?” asked Zuma.
He questioned whether it was true that the state was captured‚ as there was currently a commission investigating it.