Madlanga Commission to resume hearings as inquiry enters second phase

Zuko Komisa

The Madlanga Commission resumes public hearings on 26 January 2026 to investigate systemic corruption and political interference within the criminal justice system.
Phase Two of the inquiry will grant implicated individuals the opportunity to formally respond to the serious allegations raised by Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Following a brief recess and the submission of an interim report to President Ramaphosa, dozens of additional witnesses are scheduled to testify in the coming months.

The Madlanga Commission is set to resume public hearings on 26 January 2026, marking a transition into a critical new stage of its investigation into corruption and political interference within the criminal justice system.

Following the submission of an interim report to President Cyril Ramaphosa in December, the Commission’s investigators and legal teams have worked through the recess to prepare for the upcoming testimony of dozens of witnesses.

The inquiry is now entering Phase Two, which focuses on “implicated persons.”

This stage allows individuals named in earlier testimony specifically those accused by Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to respond to the allegations and present their own evidence. While Phase One established the initial factual foundation, Phase Two will provide the first opportunity for these claims to be formally contested and for broader mandate issues to be explored.

Following these responses, Phase Three will see the recall of Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi and his supporting witnesses. During this final stage, their evidence will be subjected to rigorous cross-examination to test its validity against the counter-claims raised during the second phase.

Commission spokesperson Jeremy Micheals emphasised that the process remains “dynamic,” noting that the inquiry will address any significant matters as they arise, regardless of the phased structure.

The hearings are expected to continue for several months as the Commission seeks to finalise its findings on institutional criminality.