PRETORIA, Gauteng — The ongoing Madlanga Commission has laid bare a deeply entrenched web of organized crime, political interference, and cartel-linked corruption within South Africa’s criminal justice system, prompting urgent calls for systemic reform. According to Lebogang Ramafoko, Executive Director of Corruption Watch, the inquiry is revealing that the country is merely scratching the surface of a complex syndicate that has infiltrated the highest ranks of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Ramafoko welcomed the President’s recent announcement that he remains open to extending the Madlanga Commission’s timeframe if more time is needed to uncover the truth. She noted that this willingness to extend the inquiry affirms the skill and competence displayed by the commission in rigorously questioning witnesses and holding those with a case to answer accountable. However, she emphasized that the true test lies in the follow-through.
“Will we have the same amount of resourcing, which includes personnel and budgets, to investigate further so that when these matters are in court, they withstand scrutiny?” Ramafoko questioned. She stressed the importance of ensuring that investigations lead to actual prosecutions rather than just high-profile suspensions, noting that the complex web of organized crime implicated in the inquiry likely never expected this day of reckoning to arrive. She pointed to the fact that Cat Matlala has already indicated a willingness to turn state witness as a sign that the country has reached a critical turning point regarding arrests and accountability.
To ensure cases do not collapse, civil society organizations, led by the Dale Institute, are advocating for revisions to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Act to beef up its investigative capacity. Furthermore, Corruption Watch strongly supports the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council’s recommendation to establish a permanent, independent, and well-resourced body to investigate corruption, which Ramafoko described as having become a “pandemic” in South Africa.
The commission’s evidence has highlighted how organized crime has deeply infiltrated the police force. Ramafoko pointed out that while Corruption Watch has long maintained that corruption in South Africa is structural and systemic, the Madlanga inquiry has exposed the shocking extent of this infiltration. She referenced public reports from 2025 detailing widespread bribery, missing police dockets, and the extortion of immigrants, illustrating the devastating impact of a non-functioning policing system.
A major focus of the inquiry has been the lack of transparency in public appointments, specifically highlighting the controversial rise of Major General Khan within crime intelligence, whose testimony is currently being heard by the commission. Ramafoko argued that without public scrutiny, the police service is left with mediocre, unskilled leaders whose primary goal was self-enrichment rather than combating crime. This systemic rot is evident in recent high-profile movements within the SAPS, including the June 5, 2026, dismissal of Richard Shibiri, the head of organized crime in Gauteng, and the June 26 resignation of Major General Lesetja Senona after the SAPS initially rejected his retirement notice.
The corruption extends beyond the police ranks into the political sphere. Ramafoko highlighted the current situation where the police minister is on suspension, resulting in taxpayers funding two ministers simultaneously. She attributed the difficulty in removing the minister to internal political shenanigans within the ruling party, demonstrating how compromised political structures act in cahoots with criminal networks to influence procurement and decision-making.
When questioned about the potential links between major generals and illegal mining syndicates, Ramafoko warned that the project of state capture extends far beyond the police, dating back to the arms deal. She cautioned that the “just energy transition” could also open the door to opaque deals if transparency is not maintained. She explained that zama zamas are not merely desperate individuals digging in disused mines, but are employed by high-level financiers, raising critical questions about where the illicit money flows and who is financing these dangerous criminal enterprises.
Ramafoko did not mince words regarding the societal impact of this criminality. She cited instances where police officers confiscated drug consignments only to sell them back into the communities, leading to widespread addiction in many households.
“This is treason. It’s not only corruption; it is the highest form of treason,” Ramafoko declared, urging civil society and ordinary citizens to recognize the severity of the crisis, unmask those in power who are facilitating these crimes, and demand a fundamentally reformed justice system.