The Zondo commission wants the law to come down hard on public officials that abuse their power.

In the second part of its State Capture Report it recommends that government declare the abuse of power a criminal offence that carries a maximum penalty of a fine of up to R200 million or 20 years in prison or both.

The commission’s chair Justice Raymond Zondo notes that such action could fall on any official, from the president of the republic who hands a large portion of the national wealth, or access to that wealth, to an unauthorised recipient, to the junior official who suspends a colleague out of motives of envy or revenge.

Zondo made the recommendation in relation to the apparent state capture and downfall of the state-owned arms manufacturer Denel.