Madlanga Commission kicks off: Security tight ahead of Mkhwanazi testimony

Pretoria – Police have implemented strict security measures ahead of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which begins public hearings on Wednesday at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria.

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, will investigate allegations of corruption, political interference, and criminal syndicate infiltration within the South African Police Service (SAPS).

KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi is set to be the first witness.

According to EWN, Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels said that security will cover not only the venue but the entire precinct due to the sensitive nature of the allegations under investigation.

“We have been treating the security of the commission and the precinct as absolutely high priority, and we’ve been uncompromising around those aspects,” the report quoted him as saying.

Mkhwanazi, known for his no-nonsense approach to policing, stunned the nation in July with an explosive media briefing in which he accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya of political interference and shielding criminal networks.

He claimed that a specialised task team investigating political killings in KwaZulu-Natal was deliberately disbanded while uncovering links between a national criminal syndicate and senior politicians, police officers, and prosecutors.

Among the allegations, Mkhwanazi cited the removal and shelving of 121 case dockets without authorization, implicating high-level figures in stalling investigations into politically motivated murders and drug cartel activities. He also revealed connections between businessman Vuzimusi “Cat” Matlala, Brown Mokgotsi, and alleged funding of Mchunu’s political activities.

President Cyril Ramaphosa responded to the allegations by placing Mchunu on paid leave and appointing Professor Firoz Cachalia as acting police minister. The commission, costing taxpayers R147.9 million over the 2025 and 2026 financial years, aims to determine whether these claims point to systemic corruption or isolated incidents.

Mkhwanazi’s testimony, expected to be explosive, marks the start of a commission that will hold daily hearings from 9:30 a.m, putting the spotlight on the SAPS and challenging the effectiveness of political oversight and anti-corruption measures.