The Madlanga Commission represents perhaps the most consequential investigation in post-apartheid South Africa — an inquiry into why the very institutions designed to enforce accountability were captured and weaponised.
The capture of the criminal justice system was systematic: the Scorpions were disbanded in 2008 because they were too effective. The NPA was captured through compliant NDPPs — Simelane (appointment declared unconstitutional), Jiba (found dishonest), Abrahams (appointment declared invalid). The Hawks were captured through Ntlemeza (appointment declared unlawful). Crime Intelligence provided fabricated reports to justify targeting political opponents.
Under these captured leaders, cases against Zuma allies were deprioritised or withdrawn while cases against opponents were fast-tracked or fabricated. The Asset Forfeiture Unit was degraded. Hundreds of experienced prosecutors resigned.
By the time Shamila Batohi was appointed NDPP in 2019, the NPA had lost institutional knowledge, faced a massive backlog of state capture cases, and could barely function. The Investigating Directorate she established faced capacity constraints and political resistance.
The Madlanga Commission examines all of these threads and is expected to recommend structural reforms to prevent future capture — potentially including constitutional amendments to strengthen prosecutorial independence.
Update, September 2026: On 9 July 2026 the President extended the Commission's evidence deadline to 2 October 2026 and its final-report deadline to 16 November 2026. On 6 August the Presidency noted the second interim report's recommendations for disciplinary and criminal investigation of Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya, "Witness G", Sgt Fannie Nkosi and Brown Mogotsi, and an inquiry into an off-the-books Crime Intelligence operation, referred to the SAPS special task team. On 21 August KZN Hawks head Deenadayalan Govender testified that Minister Mchunu had pressured him to implicate Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi in 172 shootings, producing recordings; Mchunu denies it. The Commission resolved to lay charges against North West businessman Suliman Carrim for failing to appear.