Presidency Prepared to Make Submissions to Madlanga Commission and Parliament Over Justice System Capture Allegations
The Presidency has confirmed that it may make formal submissions to both the Madlanga Commission and Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations of criminal infiltration within South Africa’s justice system.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the Presidency would use these submissions to make it clear that neither President Cyril Ramaphosa nor his office interfered in the operations of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Speaking during a media briefing at the Union Buildings on Monday, Magwenya stressed that the Presidency welcomed the ongoing probes but firmly denied any suggestion of interference.
“We are closely observing and following the developments with both initiatives, and we are also aware that at some point, as the Presidency, we will need to make our own submission to both forums,” Magwenya said.
“When we do make a submission, one of the key points that we will assert is that at no point in time did the president or the Presidency, for that matter, seek to interfere or attempt to interfere with the operations of the South African police services — and we will be able to substantiate that assertion. That’s important to underscore.”
Allegations of political interference
The announcement follows mounting calls from some Members of Parliament for President Ramaphosa to be included in the list of witnesses to appear before the ad hoc committee. The calls came after KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s testimony before the Madlanga Commission, in which he mentioned the Presidency in connection with alleged interference in police operations.
Magwenya said it would be premature to speculate on whether the president would appear before Parliament if formally requested to do so.
“So far, the evidence that has been given has not been against the president. There’s been a reference to the Presidency, and that does not necessarily translate to the president alone,” he explained.
“We are not going to provide ongoing commentary on the evidence that is led or delivered at both these platforms or initiatives.”
Background to Mkhwanazi’s testimony
Mkhwanazi’s testimony before the commission has stirred considerable political debate. During his three-day appearance, he described what he characterised as criminal infiltration within the SAPS and detailed several incidents that, he said, raised concerns about political interference.
One of his claims related to a team of detectives he had deployed to Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, to investigate the murders of five Richards Bay Minerals executives. According to Mkhwanazi, after a year, the team was recalled because of limited progress but continued working on the case from Durban.
He then alleged that national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola contacted him, saying he had received a complaint from the Presidency about the withdrawal of the team.
The mention of the Presidency in this context led several MPs to argue that the president himself should provide clarity before the ad hoc committee.
Two key investigations under way
Magwenya explained that two separate processes are currently probing the matter — the Madlanga Commission, which is investigating political and criminal interference in the police and justice system, and the parliamentary ad hoc committee, which was set up to conduct an oversight inquiry based on Mkhwanazi’s explosive testimony.
He said the Presidency respected both initiatives and intended to cooperate fully when called upon.
“We have two initiatives currently under way looking into the allegations that General Mkhwanazi made — one being the Madlanga Commission and the second one being the parliamentary ad hoc committee,” Magwenya said.
“We are closely observing both processes. The Presidency will make submissions when the time comes, and those submissions will set out our position in clear and factual terms.”
Firm denial of wrongdoing
Magwenya reiterated that there was no evidence of any interference by the Presidency in police matters, and that all operational decisions were made within SAPS structures according to established legal frameworks.
He dismissed any notion that the Presidency had attempted to influence or obstruct investigations as “unfounded”.
“At no point in time did the president or the Presidency, for that matter, seek to interfere or attempt to interfere with the operations of the South African Police Service,” he said.
“We will be able to substantiate that assertion once we make our submission.”
What happens next
Both the Madlanga Commission and the parliamentary ad hoc committee are expected to continue hearing evidence from senior police officials, intelligence officers and government representatives in the coming weeks.
It remains unclear whether Ramaphosa himself will be summoned to testify. However, parliamentary insiders suggest that the issue will be discussed once the committee receives its next round of written submissions.
For now, the Presidency maintains it has nothing to hide and will cooperate fully with both investigations in the interest of transparency and accountability.
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