SA Corruption Network — Vault Index
Goal: Map the South African state-capture and corruption network outward from the sitting President — verified connections only, sourced from credible press and public records.
Seed entities (fully researched)
- Cyril Ramaphosa — President; Shanduka Group founder; Bosasa donation; Phala Phala
- Arthur Fraser — Former spy boss; Zuma ally; filed Phala Phala criminal complaint
- Bosasa (African Global Operations) — R12bn state contracts; R75.7m bribes; Agrizzi plea 2025
- Shanduka Group — Ramaphosa BEE vehicle 2001–2015; Paradise Papers
- Phala Phala Wildlife — Ramaphosa game farm; Farmgate scandal 2020–2024
- Madlanga Commission — 2025 criminal justice inquiry; Big Five cartel; witness assassinations
People (researched — rounds 21–24)
- Jacob Zuma — Former President; Arms Deal trial; MK party; Zondo central figure
- Vusimuzi Matlala — Big Five cartel “chairman”; Madlanga Commission; EMPD/PKTT links
- Dudu Myeni — SAA board chair; delinquent director 2020; Zondo referenced; died June 2024
- Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi — KZN Police Commissioner; Big Five whistleblower testimony; Mchunu/D-Day
- Marius van der Merwe — Witness D; EMPD corruption; murdered Dec 2025; Sotheni arrested March 2026
People (researched — rounds 53–56)
- Angelo Agrizzi — Bosasa COO; 11 days Zondo testimony; IDAC plea deal 6 Nov 2025 (40 years suspended); co-accused: Mti, Gillingham, Smith
- Gavin Watson — Bosasa CEO; R12bn+ contracts; bribery war room; Toyota Corolla crash 26 Aug 2019; dead before impact (family pathology); Murray liquidators murdered 2023
- Gwede Mantashe — ANC SG 2007–17; Bosasa security at 3 properties; Zondo prima facie referral; HC challenge dismissed Oct 2025; NPA investigation expanded post-Smith conviction March 2026
- Nomgcobo Jiba — acting NDPP 2011–13; Bosasa R100k/month (“Snake” per Watson); Mokgoro inquiry fired 2019; perjury charges reinstated 2017 but never prosecuted; Khampepe TRC inquiry April 2026
People (stubs — not yet researched)
- Wally Rhoode (stub)
- Mbuyiseli Madlanga (stub)
- Dumisani Khumalo (stub)
- Linda Mti (stub)
- Patrick Gillingham (stub)
- Vincent Smith (stub)
People (researched — rounds 45–47)
- Paul O’Sullivan — forensic investigator; Selebi/Bosasa/Fraser cases; Forensics for Justice; ~10 attempts on his life; Mkhwanazi defamation suit
- Senzo Mchunu — Minister of Police 2024–2025; suspended; PKTT disbandment; Matlala/Mogotsi Big Five cartel link; Madlanga Commission
- Nomvula Mokonyane — “Mama Action”; Gauteng Premier; Bosasa R50k/month + Aston Martin; Zondo prosecution referral; no charges April 2026; ANC DSG; 2027 presidential ambitions
People (researched — round 26)
- Julius Malema — EFF president; VBS R16.1m via Sgameka/Brian Shivambu; no charges as of April 2026
People (researched — round 27)
- Floyd Shivambu — EFF co-founder; VBS R1.84m–R3.6m+ via Grand Azania/Sgameka; MK Party→Afrika Mayibuye Movement
- Lynne Brown — Minister of Public Enterprises 2014–2018; Zondo: “witting participant” in Gupta capture of Eskom/Transnet/Denel; no prosecution
Government (expanded — round 30)
- Zondo Commission — 1,438 implicated; 6 parts; key prosecution recommendations added; accountability gap 2025–2026
- National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) — Jiba capture detail added; Mokgoro Inquiry; Karen van Rensburg “utilised and manipulated” affidavit
Government (researched — round 39)
- Life Esidimeni — 144 deaths 2015–16; Mahlangu/Manamela negligence (inquest July 2024); NPA mulling 2 of 144 deaths as of August 2025; no charges April 2026
- Rosatom nuclear deal — R1.3tn deal; Nene fired Dec 2015 for refusing to sign; court ruled unlawful April 2017; Gupta Shiva uranium benefit
Government / People (researched — round 38)
- Nkandla — R246m non-security upgrades; ConCourt 31 March 2016: Zuma violated Constitution; Madonsela remedial action binding
- Richard Mdluli — CI head 2009–11; CI slush fund 2008–12; trial began April 2025; pleaded not guilty May 2025; ongoing
Organisations (researched — round 37)
- McKinsey & Company — $122m DOJ DPA December 2024; Trillian/Essa conduit; Eskom/Transnet R2bn contracts; NPA charges withdrawn January 2025
Government (researched — round 37)
- FATF Greylist — SA greylisted February 2023; 22 action items; removed October 24, 2025; direct institutional consequence of state capture era
Concepts (researched — rounds 42–43, 50–51)
- ANC Deployment Committee — cadre deployment into NPA/Hawks/SSA/SOEs; ConCourt unconstitutional June 2023; Zondo Vol 6: “root cause of state capture”
- NPA Prosecution Pipeline — 6-stage commission finding → conviction chain; explains why 1,438 Zondo-implicated → <10 convictions by 2026
- NPA Decisions Touching the Presidency — Phala Phala declination Oct 2024; Bosasa CR17 non-investigation; PRASA “fell short”; structural tension between NDPP independence and presidential patronage
- Ramaphosa within ANC Patronage — deployment committee chair 2012–17; Nasrec 2017 coalition; retention of Mokonyane/Mantashe/Mchunu; step-aside rule selectivity; reform ceiling
Organisations (expanded — round 44)
- Phala Phala Wildlife — expanded: Shanduka wealth → farm acquisition; SSA covert investigation; Fraser complaint as Zuma-network political weapon; NPA cleared Ramaphosa October 2024
Organisations (stubs — round 42)
- SARS — national tax authority; Moyane/Bain capture 2014–18; Gupta R400m+ refunds; see Tom Moyane, Bain & Company
- Digital Vibes — R150m COVID/NHI contracts; Tahera Mather owner; Mkhize family enrichment; see Zweli Mkhize
People (stub — round 42)
- Qedani Mahlangu — Gauteng Health MEC 2009–16; Life Esidimeni; Judge Teffo: negligent July 2024; no charges April 2026; see Life Esidimeni
People (researched — round 36)
- Mosebenzi Zwane — Free State Agriculture MEC; Mineral Resources Minister 2015–18; Gupta reward appointment; Estina R280m dairy scheme; trial reinstated June 2025
People (researched — round 35)
- Zweli Mkhize — Health Minister 2019–21; R150m Digital Vibes COVID/NHI tender; ~R9m family benefit; SIU referral 2021; no charges April 2026
Events / Organisations (expanded — round 34)
- South African Arms Deal — expanded to god-node level: R4.1m Zuma payments; Thales retainer; Seriti whitewash; trial date set April 2026
People (researched — round 34)
- Schabir Shaik — convicted 2005; 783 payments to Zuma; medical parole 2009 after 2 years; never recalled; “mutually beneficial symbiosis”
People (researched — round 33)
- Ace Magashule — Free State Premier 2009–18; ANC SG 2017–21; R255m asbestos tender; expelled ANC 2023; trial ongoing March 2026
People (researched — round 32)
- Tom Moyane — SARS Commissioner 2014–2018; Zuma appointee; Bain/SARS capture; perjury recommended; no charges April 2026
Organisations (researched — round 32)
- Bain & Company — SARS restructuring 2015; R217m repaid; 10-yr SA ban 2022–32; Zondo: “planned agenda to seize SARS”; US FCPA investigation recommended
People (researched — round 29)
- Tshifhiwa Matodzi — VBS chairman; “directing brain”; R326m; 15-year sentence July 2024; state witness
- Danny Msiza — ANC Limpopo treasurer; VBS municipal deposit “kingpin”; trial stalled at SCA appeal
Organisations (expanded — round 28)
- Eskom — R14.7bn corrupt contracts; Molefe/Singh/Koko; Tegeta/Optimum coal mine; McKinsey/Trillian; arrests ongoing
- Transnet — R54bn locomotive deal; Gama/Molefe/Singh/Jiyane arrested June 2025; Gigaba 5th accused Nov 2025
Organisations (researched — rounds 21–24)
- Gupta Family — State capture architects; UAE extradition stalled; R15bn recovery (broader)
- Big Five cartel — KZN hitmen network; Mchunu/Mogotsi/Malema; PKTT disbandment
Organisations (researched — round 26)
- VBS Mutual Bank — R1.894bn looted; Matodzi 15 years; EFF/Malema/Shivambu R16.1m conduit
Organisations (researched — round 57)
- Digital Vibes — R150m COVID-19/NHI front company; Mather/Mitha controllers; Mkhize family enriched; SIU confirmed fraud; no charges April 2026; closes ramaphosa↔vibes infranodus gap
Organisations (stubs — not yet researched)
- ANC (African National Congress) (stub)
- Phembani Group (stub)
- Vele Investments (stub)
- Sgameka Projects (stub)
Government (researched — round 49)
- State Security Agency (SSA) — Mufamadi HLRP 2019; Project Wave/Justice/Construcao; WAU at Lonmin; Fraser DG 2016–18; R9bn lost assets; Phala Phala complaint; no charges April 2026
Government bodies (stubs)
- Zondo Commission (stub)
- National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) (stub)
- Special Investigating Unit (SIU) (stub)
- Department of Correctional Services (South Africa) (stub)
- Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) (stub)
- Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) (stub)