Madlanga Commission: Police Informer Seeks In-Camera Testimony Over Safety Fears

• A police informer has brought an urgent application to testify in camera at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry
• The informer's evidence is expected to implicate police officers, Hawks officials, and Crime Intelligence members
• The applicant cited safety concerns for him and his family if his identity were to be disclosed

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has spent a decade reporting on South Africa's political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG — A police informer has applied to give testimony behind closed doors at the Madlanga Commission, with their evidence expected to implicate members of the South African Police Service, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), and Crime Intelligence.

The application, shared on X by journalist Herman Moloi on 11 November 2026, is based on an affidavit in which the individual requests anonymity, citing serious concerns for their personal safety and the integrity of the anticipated evidence.

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Informer cites safety and financial harm

The affidavit, with all identifying details redacted, invokes Regulation 10(6) of the relevant legislative framework as the basis for the in-camera application. The informer argues that disclosing their identity would compromise both their safety and the safety of their family members, as well as the interests of justice.

The document also details financial consequences the informer says they suffered after allegations linked to them were broadcast on national television.

Evidence expected to reach senior police structures

The testimony, if admitted under the requested conditions, is anticipated to touch on conduct by named police officials across multiple units, including the SAPS broadly, the Hawks, and Crime Intelligence. The affidavit does not name the individuals concerned, but signals that the evidence is substantive enough to warrant protective measures before it is placed before commissioners.

The Madlanga Commission has previously heard sensitive testimony from witnesses seeking varying degrees of protection, and this latest application continues that pattern.

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Other stories about the Commission and witness safety

• The Madlanga Commission expressed concern about witness safety following the alleged assassination attempt on Brown Mogotsi.
• The Madlanga Commission ruled that secret police handler, Witness G, may testify remotely with voice alteration.
• A witness who testified before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry was shot dead on the East Rand in Gauteng.

Source: Briefly News