President Ramaphosa establishes commission of inquiry into law enforcement

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of deep-rooted corruption and organised crime within South Africa’s law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

According to Ramaphosa, the inquiry will be chaired by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga and is mandated to investigate claims that a criminal syndicate has infiltrated key law enforcement structures, including the police, intelligence services, prosecuting authority, and judiciary.

This unprecedented move follows explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lt. General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who accused high-ranking officials—including the Minister of Police—of interfering in criminal investigations.

Speaking at a press briefing last Sunday, Mkhwanazi alleged that Minister Senzo Mchunu had colluded with businesspeople, including a murder suspect, to disband the Political Killings Task Team in KwaZulu-Natal.

He further claimed that the team, while investigating in Gauteng, uncovered a sophisticated network allegedly led by a drug cartel and comprising politicians, police officers, prosecutors, judicial officers, and business figures.

In response, President Ramaphosa has placed Minister Mchunu on leave and appointed Professor Firoz Cachalia as Acting Minister of Police. The President emphasized the gravity of the allegations and the necessity for a credible, independent inquiry.

“The rule of law is non-negotiable,” said President Ramaphosa. “No individual, regardless of position or political affiliation, is above the law. This commission will uncover the truth, restore trust in our institutions, and ensure justice is served.”

The commission’s scope will include probing the conduct of current and former senior officials within the South African Police Service (SAPS), the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the State Security Agency (SSA), the Judiciary, the Magistracy, and metropolitan police departments in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, and Tshwane.

Conspicuously absent from the president’s remarks was any reference to Higher Education Minister Dr. Nobuhle Pamela Nkabane, amid reports of internal tensions. Minister Nkabane was recently instructed to cancel an overseas diplomatic trip, but the matter remains unaddressed publicly.

The commission is expected to deliver interim reports at three- and six-month intervals, with a final report to be submitted to the President thereafter.