Julius Malema Rejects Calls to Scrap IDAC, South Africans Divived by EFF Leader’s Reasoning

• Julius Malema addressed Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee over calls to disestablish the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption
• His remarks came as opposition parties and civil society groups push to abolish or overhaul the anti-corruption directorate
• South Africans weighed in on the Economic Freedom Fighters leader's comments, sharing mixed reactions to them

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

WESTERN CAPE — Julius Malema has pushed back against calls to dismantle the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) during a virtual sitting of Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee on 30 September 2026.

The Economic Freedom Fighters leader argued that individuals — not institutions — were at the root of South Africa's anti-corruption failures. Malema's defence of IDAC runs counter to positions held by several opposition parties and civil society, which have called for the directorate to be scrapped and replaced.

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Malema also drew on the Hawks and the Office of the Public Protector as examples of bodies whose effectiveness had been hollowed out by those appointed to lead them.

Malema calls for stronger accountability mechanisms

Rather than replacing IDAC, Malema called for more rigorous accountability tools, including continuous lifestyle audits extended beyond senior officials to cover their families, extended relatives, and close associates.

He noted that existing disclosure forms focused narrowly on spouses and children conducting business with the state, while friends and acquaintances — more commonly used as intermediaries — escaped scrutiny.

"The problem here is not the institution. The problem here is individuals who are occupying these institutions, because there is no earlier detection and the mechanism within which we can immediately hold these people accountable," he said.

IDAC has come under renewed scrutiny of late following testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, implicating former head Andrea Johnson and certain investigators. Amid the mounting scrutiny, the Democratic Alliance’s Glynnis Breytenbach called for a Scorpions 2.0 to be established.

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How did South Africans react?

Social media users were divided on Malema's position, with some agreeing with him and others accusing him of trying to protect his friends.

@ThembelaniMnom1 questioned whether Malema had the standing to comment, writing:

"How can a convicted criminal be allowed to comment on the law and protect his friends?"

@FransSekonya agreed with the substance of his argument:

"He's correct. There's nothing wrong with IDAC; there's everything wrong with the people who were running it."

@KobusKoekemoer_ drew a parallel with the disbanded Scorpions, noting:

"There’s nothing wrong with IDAC. The people who are employed there are the problem. The same with the Scorpions: there was nothing wrong with it, but rather certain individuals."

@MelikhayaPants1 offered a middle position:

"He has a point. IDAC must be repurposed and must not prosecute their cases. The NPA must make such decisions."

@VEEWHY_ stated:

"Said the friend of the Indian cabal."

Madlanga Commission hints at shutting down IDAC

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Briefly News reported that Madlanga Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga raised the possibility of completely dissolving IDAC.

IDAC Head of Investigations and Operations Matthews Sesoko admitted the agency repeatedly failed to follow its own operational rules.

Justice Madlanga discussed the possibility during hearings on 7 August 2026, as Sesoko defended the organisation despite the criticism.

Source: Briefly News