The fact that the ANC National Executive Committee chose to keep Jacob Zuma in power as President of South Africa last night is a serious crime against the people of South Africa.

This once again illustrates that the ANC cannot self-correct. The ANC still supports Zuma. Jacob Zuma is the ANC, and the ANC is Jacob Zuma.

The DA believes that Zuma’s ANC government has given over control of our state to the Guptas. No one has ever voted for a Gupta in South Africa, but the ANC has allowed them full control of our nation and as such, they have violated the integrity of South Africa.

The new state capture allegations, which emerged yesterday, show the extent of the rot. Multiple cabinet ministers, public officials and the upper leadership of state-owned entities have been implicated in a criminal syndicate to control the resources of our country, for their own selfish benefit.

While 9 million South Africans struggle every day without work, without hope, President Zuma and by extension, the ANC, has sold their hopes and dreams to profiteers.

Parliament has the power to hold Ministers in the Executive to full account and must use it.

Yesterday’s allegations and the existing State Capture evidence, reveal that at least five Ministers are in the pockets of the Guptas.

Allegations of Gupta capture against Ministers Van Rooyen, Zwane, Gigaba, Brown and Muthambi, and the Executive as a whole, demand full investigation by Parliament through an Ad Hoc Committee.

Parliament is mandated by the Constitution to hold the Executive accountable. For this reason, the DA has today requested that National Assembly Speaker, Baleka Mbete, establish an Ad Hoc Committee to fully probe the relations of captured Ministers, the President and the Gupta family.

This request will necessitate a debate in the National Assembly, in which we expect MPs to put South Africa first and to agree to establish this committee.

The powers of such a committee will include the power to summon any person to come and give evidence, and first of these must be the Guptas themselves.

As I announced yesterday we have over the past 24 hours been in consultation with our lawyers over criminal charges, and these are now almost finalised.

I am satisfied that sufficient criminal elements exist for the laying of charges, including grand corruption, undermining of state sovereignty and various statutory crimes, carrying serious prison terms.

Tomorrow, I will lay these charges with the SAPS, fully documented and evidenced, and I expect that a thorough investigation will follow.

The DA will continue to use all measures, contained in law and the provisions in our Constitution to hold the Executive accountable.

The ANCs protection and backing of Jacob Zuma, last night and throughout his eight-year regime of corruption, shows that the ANC has reached its end of days. The ANC is dead, but there is hope for South Africa.

In 2019, voters can vote out this ANC government and can restore the hope of 1994. There is a new future for South Africa, and that future lies in the DA.