Zondo adjourns for the morning break, McBride is expected to take the stand when proceedings resume.

Pretorius mentions the Scorpions and the agency's efficiency in achieving convictions, says questions will be asked about the disbandment of the Scorpions in 2009.

DA's Gauteng premier candidate Solly Msimanga present at the commission today. 

Pretorius moves on to his opening statement, relating to the commission's focus on law enforcement agencies, some of which are meant to combat corruption in South Africa. These include the SAPS, Hawks (DPCI), Special Investigating Unit (SIU), National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), State Security Agency (SSA), and Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU). 

Pretorius says if these agencies operated as they were mandated to, there would have been no need for this commission. 

Zondo says he will not make a final ruling on the matter at this point, but proposes that proceedings should continue in the meantime. Zondo suggests that the commission also seek expert advice from legal bodies and the judiciary on this particular issue.

Pretorius proposes that Zondo hears the evidence in question, related to his brother, but does not make any findings on it.

Pretorius says McBride will testify on "a range of matters", including an inquiry chaired by Zondo's younger brother, Advocate Mxolisi Zondo. Pretorius says no objection is raised in this regard.

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has entered, and proceedings are now under way, with Advocate Paul Pretorius starting off by addressing Zondo on procedural issues. 

The testimony of former IPID head Robert McBride has been postponed twice before, but is expected to go ahead today. McBride's evidence may implicate between 30 to 50 people, according to the commission's legal team.

McBride to testify at Zondo commission while Msimanga leads picket outside

The Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture is expected to continue on Thursday when head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) Robert McBride takes the stand.

Inquiry chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, postponed McBride's testimony on Monday because the commission's legal team failed to duly notify people McBride is likely to implicate in his testimony.

Advocate Paul Pretorius, SC, head of the commission's legal team, told Zondo that the postponement of McBride's testimony was to allow implicated parties to be notified, as stated in the rules of the commission. 

ICYMI: 

Who will head the state capture prosecution directorate? 

A shortlist of candidates who will potentially head up a new investigative directorate within the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), is currently being vetted for approval. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced during his State of the Nation address in February that the directorate would be established following a request from National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi. 

The directorate has been tasked with investigating allegations made at the Zondo commission into allegations of state capture, the commission of inquiry into governance at SARS, as well as the Public Investment Corporation inquiry. 

ICYMI: 

Public Protector report on Ramaphosa's Bosasa donation will only be ready after the elections 

Opposition parties and the South African public will have to wait until after the elections for a Public Protector report on a donation President Cyril Ramaphosa received from corruption-accused facilities management company Bosasa.

The report will only be finalised after the May 8 elections.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane and EFF leader Julius Malema asked the Public Protector to investigate whether Ramaphosa misled and lied to Parliament when he responded to about the money. 

ICYMI: 

ANC has reserve candidates to replace compromised ones - Mbalula 

The ANC has a reserve list of candidates that it intends to use if any members currently on its parliamentary and legislature lists are asked to step aside by the party's integrity committee.ANC head of elections Fikile Mbalula revealed this on Monday during a media briefing to outline the ANC's final round of electioneering.

Mbalula insisted that those asked to step aside by the committee will be forced to do so.

Mbalula's utterances run counter to the Electoral Commission of South Africa's (IEC) assertion that lists may not be amended or candidates substituted unless a candidate is on more than one party list.

ICYMI: 

Gupta associates wanted to 'milk Free State dry', former MEC tells Zondo commission 

Former Free State MEC for economic development Mxolisi Dukwana on Friday alleged that he was fired by former Free State premier and current ANC secretary general Ace Magashule for not approving a multimillion-rand Gupta-linked contract in 2012.

Dukwana took to the stand at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture on Friday, delivering damning testimony over how he was roped into a meeting with Rajesh "Tony" Gupta by Magashule at the Gupta compound in late 2011.

Gupta allegedly offered him R2m in cash if he signed a letter appointing Gupta-linked businessman Iqbal Sharma’s company to undertake the development of a master plan for a new "City for Tomorrow" – a project that planned to establish a high-tech urban development somewhere near Welkom. 

ICYMI: 

'Brother Ace' gets a million - Tony Gupta allegedly tells Dukwana 

Rajesh "Tony" Gupta allegedly told former Free State MEC Mxolisi Dukwana that he was a trustworthy man who would drive to the house of ANC secretary general Ace Magashule and Duduzane Zuma, the son of the former president, to deliver a million rand in cash every month.

Dukwana was testifying at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture on Friday.

He told inquiry chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo that Magashule introduced him to the controversial Gupta family, who are accused of using their relationship with former president Jacob Zuma to loot the state around 2012. 

ICYMI: 

'Mlambo told two wrong things' - Mantashe says state capture investigator lied under oath 

ANC chairperson and Minister of Mineral Resources Gwede Mantashe has accused one of the investigators of the state capture inquiry of lying under oath.

The investigator, Patrick Mlambo, earlier told inquiry chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, that he received a call from Mantashe who was unhappy about a site visit to his property without his permission. 

Mlambo said Mantashe indicated that he would fire his employee for giving permission for the inspection of his property in Elliot in the Eastern Cape. 

ICYMI: 

We cannot 'summon' Magashule over corruption claims - ANC integrity commission 

ANC secretary general Ace Magashule will not appear before the party's integrity committee unless its national executive committee (NEC) decides he should do so.

This is according to integrity committee chairperson George Mashamba, who told News24 that the committee had no powers to summon him in order to assess the impact that claims made against him had on the governing party. 

His comments follow a decision by the NEC to refer its entire list of candidates nominated to serve in the National Assembly and in provincial legislatures to the integrity committee.

ICYMI: 

State capture inquiry: Menzi Simelane cast doubt on SIU report on Bosasa tenders 

Former national director of public prosecutions Menzi Simelane cast doubt on the 2009 Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report on tenders awarded to Bosasa by the Department of Correctional Services, the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture heard on Monday. 

This was revealed during the testimony of former SIU lead investigator Clint Oellermann, who was the lead investigator in the matter. 

The report was received by the National Prosecuting Authority in November 2009. 

Soon after this, advocate Glynnis Breytenbach wrote an email to Simelane asking for guidance on the report. 

ICYMI: 

'Mr Ten Percent': How Ace Magashule captured the Free State 

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has stood at the "head of a well-organised state-capture network" in the Free State for almost a decade.

This network has scooped millions of rands of taxpayers’ money in schemes seemingly presided over by Magashule and has allegedly seen people like former president Jacob Zuma, the Gupta family, some of the Magashule children, the former provincial premier himself and a host of connected ANC politicians benefit from various government schemes.