The Madlanga Commission

The Madlanga Commission, officially known as the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, is a constitutional inquiry established in July 2025 by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The commission is chaired by Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga and was created in response to alarming allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. These allegations claim that criminal syndicates have infiltrated key institutions within South Africa’s law enforcement and criminal justice system, including the police force, prosecutorial bodies, intelligence services, and parts of the judiciary.

The commission is tasked with investigating the veracity, scope, and extent of the alleged collusion and corruption described by Mkhwanazi. Its mandate includes examining the involvement of political interference and criminality that undermine the integrity and proper functioning of justice and law enforcement. It scrutinizes several entities such as the South African Police Service, National Prosecuting Authority, State Security Agency, judiciary, and metropolitan police departments of Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni. The commission also looks into whether any members of the executive responsible for the criminal justice system were complicit in these corrupt activities.

The commission began its public hearings in September 2025, with the first testimony delivered by Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi. It has the authority to refer matters for immediate criminal investigation and urgent prosecution decisions, highlighting the gravity and urgency of its mandate. Interim reports are expected within three and six months, and a final report will be submitted to the President, Speaker of the National Assembly, and Chief Justice. This commission aims to uncover truth, ensure accountability, and recommend urgent reforms necessary to restore public confidence in the criminal justice system.

Justice Madlanga emphasizes that a compromised criminal justice system subverts the rule of law and constitutional democracy. The commission’s work is crucial for exposing the extent to which criminal syndicates and political interference have weakened law enforcement and judicial processes. It stresses the importance of protecting whistleblowers and witnesses so that corruption and criminality can be confronted without fear or favor. There are widespread expectations that the commission must lead to swift accountability for implicated individuals and propose reform measures to restore integrity to South African justice institutions.

The Madlanga Commission represents a critical national effort to safeguard South Africa’s democratic foundations by confronting deep-rooted corruption and ensuring that the criminal justice system functions independently, transparently, and effectively in the interest of all citizens.