[15] The commission was established in January 2018 but did not hold its first hearing until August 2018, by which time Zuma had resigned and been replaced by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

[9] Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola – whose portfolio is responsible for financing the commission – lodged, and then withdrew, a legal challenge to the application for an extension.

[8] The commission was appointed under terms of reference which were flexible but which singled out for investigation several issues, primarily arising from the State of Capture report and of varying degrees of specificity.

For example: Many individuals have been summoned to testify before the Commission,[51] including former president Jacob Zuma and other current and former government ministers and officials, as well as various business executives.

Those required to testify include Ben Ngubane, Mosebenzi Zwane, Barbara Hogan, Mcebisi Jonas, Des van Rooyen, Nomvula Mokonyane, Vytjie Mentor, Pravin Gordhan, Sibongile Sambo, Job Mokgoro and Angelo Agrizzi, among many others.

Testimony given by multiple members of the South African State Security Agency (SSA) made national headlines for the amount of state funds used irregularly, breadth of controversial clandestine activities, and overt support the agency gave to president Zuma during his presidency.

The acting director-general of the SSA, Loyiso Jafta, testified that it was highly a politicised agency following its formation in 2009 and that was used to improperly fund and support a number of African National Congress (ANC) political activities.

[52] Jafta stated that at least R9 billion (roughly equivalent to US$758.7 million) of the SAA's fixed assets were "not to be found and that R125-million could not be accounted for in the 2017/18 financial year.

[52] Testimony given to the commission regarding the improper activities of the SSA state that: Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi made national headlines when he testified to the commission that the company systematically gave substantial bribes to South African government officials to ensure that the company received government contracts and was not investigated.

[61][62][63][64] Agrizzi's testimony implicated then President Zuma,[65] notable government minister Nomvula Mokonyane,[66] chairperson of South African Airways Dudu Myeni,[67] and ANC politician Gwede Mantashe.

[34] Mokonyane's testimony before the commission was notable for its contradictory statements, the serious nature of the allegations made against her, and the high profile it received in the media.

[34] Dudu Myeni, a close associate of president Zuma, was implicated in illegal activities when she was chairperson of South African Airways.

His testimony provided evidence of the premeditated plans to restructure South African Revenue Service which led to its near collapse.

[80] During Zuma's second day of testimony, he claimed that he was the target of a suicide bombing assassination attempt, the South African Police Service later stated that they were unaware of any such event taking place.

[86][87] On 11 October 2019, a South African high court denied Zuma a motion to strike down 16 criminal charges of fraud, racketeering and money laundering related to an illegal $2.5bn (£1.98bn) arms deal which allegedly was undertaken in the late 1990s in order to ensure that South Africa's armed forces could buy 30bn rand of European military hardware.

The commission, whose mandate ends on 31 March, asked the court for an urgent order directing him to give evidence.

[122] The commission found that multiple incidents of state capture took place within South African government departments and state-owned enterprises during the presidency of Jacob Zuma as senior officials routinely broke law.