President Cyril Ramaphosa. Photo: FIle
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of using a political ruse after the much-anticipated inquiry into corruption in South Africa’s criminal justice system was postponed indefinitely.
The inquiry, chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, was scheduled to begin hearings on 1 September. But on Tuesday, Madlanga announced that the department of justice and constitutional development had failed to provide the necessary infrastructure, forcing the commission to postpone it indefinitely.
The EFF said the indefinite suspension vindicated its warnings that the inquiry, widely referred to as the “Madlanga Commission”, had been designed to fail.
“This forms part of a deliberate attempt to stifle accountability. The establishment of this commission by President Cyril Ramaphosa was nothing but a pretence at action, knowing very well that there was no intention of ever holding his close political ally and current minister of police, Senzo Mchunu, accountable for the allegations against him,” it said.
Madlanga was forthright in laying blame at the department’s door. He said the commission had been ready to proceed but procurement processes had collapsed.
“Unfortunately, those commitments have not been met. As a result, it has since become clear that the commission will not be able to start the hearings as scheduled,” he said.
He added that the delay would almost certainly undermine Ramaphosa’s directive that the inquiry produce its first interim report within three months.
“What is most regrettable is that a substantial portion of the three-month period … has gone by without the commission having heard a single witness. This is not of the commission’s making,” Madlanga said.
No new starting date has been provided.
The inquiry was to investigate allegations about Mchunu’s interference in police investigations.It was announced earlier this year as part of the administration’s efforts to confront allegations of political interference, organised crime and corruption within the criminal justice system.
It was intended to reassure the public that the government remained committed to strengthening the rule of law.
The EFF framed the failure as confirmation that the commission was never intended to succeed. “The pronouncement of this commission was a political ploy to ease the anxieties of South Africans in the immediate [future], hoping that our nation would, in time, collectively forget the damning allegations against Senzo Mchunu and our law enforcement agencies,” it said.
Mchunu was placed on special leave pending the outcome of the inquiry. The EFF argues that such a status has no constitutional basis, insisting that Mchunu continues to enjoy the perks of high office, including ministerial housing and state vehicles and security, despite not carrying out his duties.
“As things stand, South Africa effectively has two ministers of police,” the EFF said, reiterating its call for Mchunu’s removal from cabinet.
The party also accused Ramaphosa of prioritising political patronage over accountability, claiming that shielding Mchunu has undermined public confidence in the government’s anti-corruption agenda.
The delay in launching the commission comes as former president Jacob Zuma intensifies his legal offensive against it. Zuma and his uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party are challenging the legality of the inquiry, arguing that it is likely to exceed its six-month mandate and fail to deliver meaningful outcomes.
Zuma has described the Madlanga Commission as another example of what he calls Ramaphosa’s “weaponisation” of state institutions. The MK party has suggested that the inquiry is being used selectively to target political opponents while avoiding scrutiny of ANC insiders.
The EFF has pledged to continue pursuing accountability through an ad hoc parliamentary committee on law enforcement, which is due to begin work in September. The party said parliament remained the one forum where accountability could not be avoided through bureaucratic delays.
“We do not rely on the department of justice to do our work in parliament. Should this department, or any other, attempt to impede the work of the ad hoc committee, we will explore all legal and parliamentary mechanisms to ensure this does not happen,” the party said.