State capture is a huge embarrassment to South Africa, ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize said on Wednesday.
"This issue of state capture is something that is a huge embarrassment...we take it as a form of corruption. This is something that we have not experienced before," he said.
Mkhize was speaking at The Joburg Indaba which focuses on the mining industry. After his speech, he was grilled about issues of state capture.
Mkhize says the delay in the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry into state capture was due to issues surrounding its terms of reference.
"From the National Executive Committee, we expected it (inquiry) would have taken place much quicker," he said.
"The commission must be able to question everyone who is involved...legislation needs to be put in place. When the findings are released, we will be able to act on those involved. Those emails have come with a lot of revelations."
Mkhize, a presidential frontrunner, said he believes there were issues between lawyers as to how they could define the terms of reference for the inquiry.
In his speech, Mkhize said the ANC has had "a number of engagements" with the Chamber of Mines to facilitate a resolution of issues, especially around the amended Mining Charter.
"Our focus to the Chamber of Mines has been that we need to find a way to rebuild this industry...to make sure that this industry grows," he said.
Mkhize outlined three issues currently facing the mining industry:
- How to achieve growth;
- How to create jobs;
- How to deal with transformation in the industry.
"What we are looking at is how do we increase the ownership and the participation of black industrialists who have over the years been left out. In the process, therefore, we have found that the mining chamber indicated the tension that exists between the chamber and the ministry," Mkhize said.
"One of the issues raised internally was the issue of the instability within the labour movement...a bit of progress has been made on that side. For the past three or so years we have not seen as much of protracted work stoppages and violence."
He said there needs to be more engagement between government and the private sector.
"There is a huge concern about the stability within the ANC...we want to make sure we bring a lot more unity," he said.