Ramaphosa
By Thabo Mosia
President Cyril Ramaphosa has made it clear that finding the truth is key in dealing with serious claims against the police. He stands firm on using commissions of inquiry to handle allegations from KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. These claims point to deep problems in the criminal justice system, and the President says quick punishments without proof would be wrong.
Serious Claims Shake South Africa’s Police Force
The trouble started when Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi spoke out about what he calls a big crime network inside the police and other parts of the law enforcement system. He said this network includes politicians, top police officers, officials from correctional services, prosecutors, judges, and even businesspeople, all working together in KwaZulu-Natal. Mkhwanazi pointed fingers at Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, saying the Minister got in the way of important police probes and worked with businesspeople, including someone accused of murder, to shut down the Political Killings Task Team in the province. This team was set up to look into murders linked to politics, but Mkhwanazi claims it was closed to protect the Minister’s friends.
Mkhwanazi went further, saying more than 100 case files from the task team were taken away and never looked into again. He talked about how this corruption goes all the way up, making it hard for honest officers to do their jobs. For example, in one case from 2016, a man named Angelo Blows was killed, and his family gave evidence to the police, but nothing happened. People like Patricia Blows, a community worker, say this shows how crime controls lives in places like the Cape Flats, where fear is part of everyday life.
These claims have caused a big stir across South Africa. Many people are angry and scared, worried that the police cannot be trusted to keep them safe. With crime rates already high and many seeing corruption everywhere, this has made things worse. It also raises questions about the country’s intelligence services being weak, which could let criminals or even outsiders take advantage.
Ramaphosa’s Response: A Call for Fair Process
In his speech during the Presidency Budget Vote for 2025/26 in Parliament on Wednesday, President Ramaphosa defended setting up commissions of inquiry as the right way to handle these issues. He said they help keep things honest and make sure people are held to account in the criminal justice system.
The President warned against jumping to punish anyone based on claims that have not been checked yet. He spoke about the recent noise over Mkhwanazi’s allegations and said, “These allegations are serious. They are also untested. It is therefore necessary that we establish the facts through an independent, credible and thorough process so that we can ensure accountability and safeguard public confidence in the police service.”
Last Sunday, Ramaphosa told the nation he was putting Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on leave right away. He also set up a judicial commission of inquiry, led by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, to look into claims of criminal groups getting into law enforcement, intelligence, and other parts of the justice system.
The commission will check things like helping organised crime, stopping or changing investigations, pushing police leaders into crime, any other law-breaking, and scaring or getting rid of whistleblowers who fight against this. Another person affected is Deputy National Police Commissioner Sibiya, who was asked to take leave after the allegations.
Ramaphosa said he set up two commissions lately. The other one, from May, is led by Judge Sisi Khampepe and looks into apartheid-era crimes. This one aims to make sure justice is done for victims of those old crimes and their families, and to learn lessons for better accountability today and tomorrow.
He found it odd that some people are against this new commission. Some want him to punish the Minister straight away on unproven claims. “Not only would this be unfair, but it would create a dangerous precedent. The commission should be allowed to do its work,” he explained
.
Proof That Commissions Work: Past Examples
The President pushed back against the idea that commissions do not lead to real changes. He said this thinking is mistaken and not backed by facts. He gave examples to show how they have helped.
The South African Revenue Service Commission, led by Judge Robert Nugent, brought big changes to SARS leadership, rules, and how it works. This helped collect more taxes, get people to follow rules better, and recover lots of unpaid money.
The Commission into the Public Investment Corporation, chaired by Judge Lex Mpati, found problems with how it was run, leading to people being disciplined and bad contracts being stopped.
From the High-Level Panel on the State Security Agency, steps were taken to make the SSA stable again, with better checks and changes in the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Act.
After the Expert Panel on the July 2021 unrest, the government improved how intelligence works together, boosted policing for public order, made community policing groups stronger, and fixed how the National Security Council runs.
In the three years since the State Capture Commission’s final report, big changes have happened. Eight new laws strengthen anti-corruption bodies, fix buying processes, change intelligence services, and make companies and public workers more accountable. By March 2025, assets worth nearly R11 billion tied to State Capture were recovered, and another R10.6 billion frozen while courts decide. Many big criminal cases are now in court.
“These commissions and panels show a government that takes responsibility, that is committed to transparency and accountability, that does not fear independent scrutiny, and that is determined to take corrective action where lapses have taken place,” Ramaphosa said. “Each of these commissions and panels unearthed information and made findings that were critical to understanding the events that took place. They were essential in ensuring accountability and providing recommendations on strengthening our institutions and processes.”
What This Means for South Africa
The ANC has come out in support of the commission, saying it is the best way to deal with the claims of corruption and interference. But not everyone agrees. Some see Ramaphosa’s moves as too slow, which could hurt his name and the ANC’s chances in upcoming local elections. With the new government of national unity, this could test how well the coalition holds together.
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