Madlanga Commission is a ‘reset moment’ for South Africa, says Cachalia
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said the Madlanga Commission and Ad Hoc Committee are reset moments for the country.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia has described the Madlanga Commission as a “reset moment” for the country, saying this was a time to confront the corruption infecting the police and justice system head-on.
In an interview with Newzroom Afrika on Thursday, Cachalia said testimony before the commission has begun to expose the scale of institutional decay.
“What is emerging is deeply troubling,” he said. “We are seeing the real picture of what’s going on.”
His remarks come ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Among the most revealing is testimony from Brigadier Rachel Matjeng, a senior forensic official, who told the commission that she received bribes from Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, an alleged criminal figure currently behind bars.
For a senior officer tasked with safeguarding forensic integrity to admit to accepting payments from a jailed suspect has sent shockwaves through the justice system.
Cachalia said the admission underscores the extent of the crisis.
“I was listening to the brigadier… explaining how she was receiving bribes from a criminal who’s in jail. It’s just another indication of the extent of the problem,” he said.
The commission has also heard serious allegations of corruption within the City of Ekurhuleni, particularly involving the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD).
Testimony presented points to the existence of a rogue unit allegedly led by Julius Mkhwanazi, accused of operating outside formal command structures and engaging in criminal conduct.
While findings are yet to be made, the testimony has painted a picture of law enforcement structures allegedly compromised from within — raising concerns about collusion, abuse of power and systemic failures that allowed misconduct to flourish.
Cachalia said earlier public statements by KZN Police Commissioner, Lt-Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi had signalled trouble, but the full picture now emerging is “even more worrying”.
Still, he insisted that the moment presents an opportunity.
“This is a reset,” Cachalia said.
“The country is having an opportunity to see what’s really going on. We now have a chance as a society to discuss what reforms are required in the SAPS and beyond.”
He cautioned, however, that the commission offers only a “partial and selective window” into a broader problem.
Ramaphosa has instructed Cachalia to establish a special investigations task team. National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola confirmed the unit has begun work.
Cachalia said he has yet to receive a full briefing on its members but has made clear that only the “best” investigators must be appointed.
Crucially, the team will be prosecution-led, with National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Andy Mothibi forming part of the structure.
The task team will report to Cachalia, who in turn will report to the president.
Masemola has indicated that an initial progress report is expected within three months.
Ramaphosa is expected to deliver his address at 7pm in Cape Town.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
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