On Tuesday, 24 May, the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Alumni Relations Office will host a thought leadership webinar that tackles the burning question of state capture in South Africa.

The LeadUP Alumni Thought Leadership series is a webinar-based series of events that was launched in 2020 to provide a space for the University to contribute to significant conversations. It does this via its pool of more than 300 000 alumni around the world.

Titled ‘The Zondo Commission Report: What’s next for our captured state?’ the upcoming webinar will look at the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector, and the steps that should be taken to restore South Africans’ faith in the ability of its leaders to build an accountable democratic state.

Alumni Relations Manager Samantha Castle said the #LeadUP webinar series had chosen to tackle this topic because of its reach and significance for South Africans throughout the country and the world.

“State capture is a topic that has dominated South African discourse for a decade or more, and the effects of years of state capture will likely continue to echo throughout our society for decades to come,” she said.

Castle added that beyond the discussions that have already taken place on the topic, this webinar will bring a fresher angle to the conversation by addressing the question, “What next?”

“The goal of this discussion is to look closer at the steps – legal, judicial, economic and societal – that need to take place in the wake of the Zondo Commission Report to ensure that South Africa gets back on the right track, especially in an economic sense, so that we are able to create economic justice for all South Africans,” she added. “The discussions are always solutions-focused, with the idea that UP’s alumni are some of the best people to help envision and enact solutions to society’s biggest problems.”

Moderated by broadcaster and UP alumna Sebenzile Nkambule, the panel will include UP alumnus Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola; former UK Cabinet Minister Lord Peter Hain; and UP alumna and Development Economics lecturer Dr Carolyn Chisadza.

“We wanted a panel that could provide comprehensive analysis and insight into some of the most important aspects around state capture,” she said. “There are fewer people better positioned than the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services to provide insight into the legal steps that need to take place. State capture has created serious economic set-backs for the country, and we felt UP alumna and Development Economics lecturer Dr Carolyn Chisadza could provide a sense of how South Africa can get its economy and development agenda back on track. Former UK Cabinet Minister Lord Peter Hain is a South African-born anti-apartheid activist and economic advocate for South Africa on the UK and global stage; we felt his international perspective would improve our understanding of how South Africa’s international reputation has been affected by so many years of reporting on state capture.”

Ultimately, the goal of the series is to position UP alumni to take part in – and lead – conversations that will help shape South Africa into the best society we can create, Castle added.

Catch the live broadcast on Tuesday, 24 May 2022 from 6pm to 7pm via UP’s LinkedIn and YouTube profiles, and the TuksAlumni Facebook page. Follow this link to register: https://events.universityofpretoria.live/leadup-the-zondo-commission-report-online/