Ramaphosa gazettes justice system inquiry
President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially gazetted the judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of criminality, political interference, and corruption within South Africa’s criminal justice system.
The decision to set up a commission follows explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during a press conference two weeks ago.
Mkhwanazi accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of receiving payments from a corruption suspect and interfering in investigations into political killings.
Mchunu denied the claims, calling them “insinuations made without evidence or due process".
Scope of the Inquiry
The commission will investigate the infiltration of law enforcement and intelligence agencies by criminal syndicates, including:
The facilitation of organised crime, suppression or manipulation of investigations, inducement of senior law enforcement officials into criminal acts, intimidation or removal of whistleblowers and honest officials and financial or political gains by senior state employees linked to syndicates
It will also look into whether syndicates have unduly influenced or infiltrated institutions such as:
SAPS and the Political Killings Task Team, Crime Intelligence, JMPD, EMPD, and TMPD, the NPA and the State Security Agency, the judiciary, including magistrates and court officials, yhe Department of Correctional Services, as well as any other entity within the criminal justice system
Commission Powers and Leadership
The inquiry will be chaired by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, with Advocate Sesi Baloyi SC and Advocate Sandile Khumalo SC appointed as additional members.
"The commission is appointed to investigate and report on the veracity, scope, and extent of the allegations, and to recommend criminal prosecutions, disciplinary action, and institutional reform,” said Ramaphosa.
The commission will have broad powers to summon witnesses and compel documents, conduct search and seizure operations within legal limits, hold in-camera hearings to protect witness safety and sensitive intelligence, and refer urgent matters for criminal investigation or prosecution.
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