Madlanga Commission Marks 1 Year as Mkhwanazi’s Criminal Infiltration Claims Gain Credence
- Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga said evidence gathered over 174 days of hearings pointed to worrying signs of criminality in South Africa's justice system
- The Madlanga Commission has heard from 110 witnesses since Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi testified as its first witness in September 2025
- Madlanga warned that compromised officials could allow criminals to escape prosecution, but stressed the commission had not yet reached final conclusions
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SOUTH AFRICA —Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s explosive allegations about criminal infiltration of South Africa’s criminal justice system have come under renewed focus as the Madlanga Commission marks one year of hearings.
Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, who chairs the inquiry, said on Thursday that evidence presented over the past year was increasingly supporting concerns raised by Mkhwanazi.
The KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner became the commission’s first witness on 17 September 2025, following his explosive July 2025 media briefing that triggered a national debate and ultimately led to the establishment of the inquiry.
Mkhwanazi’s claims gain attention
General Mkhwanazi alleged that criminal syndicates had infiltrated various parts of the criminal justice system, including the police, prosecution, intelligence structures and political networks.
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A year later, Madlanga said the evidence had revealed worrying signs.
“Unfortunately, what is emerging from the evidence is that there are indications of serious criminality within the criminal justice system,” he said.
According to Madlanga, the evidence also pointed to “the infiltration of, and undue influence on, the criminal justice system by elements of criminality.”
He said the fact that several people within the criminal justice system had been criminally charged, dismissed or subjected to disciplinary proceedings added weight to the concerns.
‘Spell doom’ for SA
Madlanga recalled how serious Mkhwanazi’s allegations appeared when the inquiry began.
He said he had warned at the start of the hearings that, if proven, the claims could “spell doom” for South Africa’s criminal justice system.
One year later, the commission is still examining whether Mkhwanazi’s allegations were ultimately disproved or supported by the evidence.
“Have his allegations been proven to have been false, or are they proving to be true?” Madlanga asked.
However, the chairperson stressed that no final determination had yet been made.
The commission has heard testimony from 110 witnesses across 174 days of hearings, with evidence continuing to shape its investigation.
‘A corrupt criminal justice system’
Madlanga said the evidence suggested that criminality may have been entrenched within parts of the justice system for years.
“What is painful, though, is that this apparent criminality suggests that for some time now, our criminal justice system has been populated by malleable, corrupt state functionaries,” he said.
The commission has already made referrals for criminal investigations and employment-related action. President Cyril Ramaphosa has also accepted recommendations from its first interim report.
Despite the developments, Madlanga said the commission must assess the full body of evidence before reaching its final conclusions.
President extends the Madlanga Commission
Briefly News reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa granted the Madlanga Commission additional time to complete its work, setting a new deadline of 16 November 2026 for the final report to be submitted to his office. The deadline for the submission of evidence has been fixed at 2 October 2026.South Africans welcomed the extension, citing the need for key witnesses, including KZN deputy crime intelligence head Feroz Khan, to appear.
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Source: Briefly News
