South African inquiry points to systemic corruption during Zuma era

FILE PHOTO: Former South African President Jacob Zuma sits in court during his corruption trial in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, October 26, 2021. Jerome Delay/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A South African corruption inquiry pointed to systemic graft during former President Jacob Zuma's tenure in the first part of its report published on Tuesday, after more than three years of investigations involving more than 300 witnesses.

The inquiry chaired by senior judge Raymond Zondo was established in 2018 to examine allegations of high-level graft during Zuma's nine years in power from 2009, after scandals and sleaze had overshadowed South Africa's politics for years.