Madlanga Commission Highlights: State capture, sabotage, and cartel ties over ten days

Over the past ten days, the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has peeled back layers of alleged corruption, political sabotage, and state capture within South Africa’s criminal justice system, exposing a network of collusion between senior law enforcement officials, politicians, and criminal syndicates.

The commission was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa after KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged political interference in the SAPS and protection of criminal networks, including within the judiciary.

The commission started on September 17, 2025, with Mkhwanazi as the first witness, where he accused the suspended police minister of disbanding a task team probing political killings. He also warned that South Africa's justice system was facing collapse.

There have been five witnesses who have testified so far. 

They include Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi, National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, police expert Major-General Petronella van Rooyen, KZN NPA head Elaine Harrison, and Crime Intelligence boss Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo.

These five delivered explosive testimony revealing how the integrity of South Africa’s justice institutions has been deliberately undermined.

“A Strategic Hit” on Investigations

Top cop Mkhwanazi alleged that the arrest of Lt-Gen Khumalo was no coincidence but rather a calculated move to sabotage investigations into major drug cartels and organised crime.

He said the arrest was triggered by a letter obtained via whistle-blowers in the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) - a letter he claims was specifically designed to derail ongoing investigations.

Corruption in the Ranks: State Power for Criminal Gain

Mkhwanazi also implicated a Johannesburg Metro Police K9 Unit officer, Johannes Makgatle, accusing him of abusing state systems to assist Katiso “KT” Molefe, a murder accused and alleged organised crime figure.

According to testimony, Makgatle renewed vehicle licence discs, ran confidential checks, and bent police protocols in exchange for personal favours. 

The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) has since confirmed to IOL that it has launched an internal investigation into the officer.

“These were not mere allegations,” Mkhwanazi said. “There is evidence that state resources have been co-opted by criminal networks.”

Unlawful Disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team

The disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) has emerged as a central theme in the hearings.

According to SAPS legislative expert Major General Van Rooyen, suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu acted outside of his legal mandate in ordering the dissolution of the PKTT.

Van Rooyen testified that such a decision falls under the operational authority of the National Police Commissioner, not the minister. 

She said that, referencing Section 206 of the Constitution, adding that while Mchunu may set national policing policy after consulting provincial governments, operational decisions remain the domain of Masemola.

“This was an instruction decision that fell outside the minister’s powers,” she said.

NPA Kept in the Dark

KZN NPA head Elaine Harrison told the commission she was never formally informed of the PKTT’s disbandment and only learned of the move via social media while on leave.

“At first, I thought it was fake news,” she said. “It was floating around on social media.”

The first official communication she received was a letter dated 25 May from Mkhwanazi, concerning the transfer of 121 politically sensitive case dockets to SAPS’s national office in Pretoria - with no mention of the PKTT’s closure.

Cartel Protection and Police Collusion

Lt-Gen Khumalo presented damning WhatsApp conversations to the commission, allegedly linking criminal kingpins, including controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, with senior police officials.

He also named Brown Mogotsi, a North West businessman and alleged informant of Mchunu, accusing him of politically motivated interference in police operations.

The messages, according to Khumalo, illustrate a chilling synergy between politicians and cartels, including tender rigging, obstruction of justice, and the misuse of state power to shield criminal enterprises.

High-Stakes Political Meddling

Masemola revealed that Mchunu issued a direct and urgent instruction to disband the PKTT while Masemola was on leave.

Describing the directive - “Disband now, not even tomorrow” - as one of the most alarming developments in the commission, Masemola said it represented a “total encroachment” on his constitutional authority.

Masemola emphasised that such operational decisions are protected under Section 207 of the Constitution, which guarantees the independence of the national commissioner in managing and controlling the police service.

He also revealed that he first learned of the disbandment via a WhatsApp message, rather than formal channels, raising questions about deliberate attempts to undermine police operations.

Justice System on the Brink?

Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi issued a stark warning: South Africa’s criminal justice system is on the verge of “total collapse” unless urgent, decisive reforms are implemented.

He painted a bleak picture of an institution paralysed by factional infighting, political interference, and deep-rooted collusion between law enforcement and crime syndicates.

Meanwhile, the commission was adjourned for the day following the early departure of Lt-Gen Khumalo, who left the venue shortly after 9am on Wednesday due to illness.

Commission chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga confirmed Khumalo's absence that morning, just as proceedings were set to begin.

The commission has since taken a break and will resume public hearings on October 13.

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za 

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za 

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