President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended the term of the Madlanga Commission to 25 January 2027 to allow it to interview all persons of interest.
The Presidency announced the decision in a statement on Saturday morning, indicating that the extension is a “final” one.
Ramaphosa previously granted the commission an extension to 16 November after it raised concerns about time constraints amid increasingly evasive “witnesses”. The latest decision was prompted by similar frustrations.
In addition to implicated individuals such as Feroz Khan, who until his recent dismissal was the SAPS deputy head of Crime Intelligence, and North West businessman Suleiman Carrim, the inquiry is also scheduled to hear expert testimony about measures that could be put in place to protect the criminal justice system from infiltration by cartels, corruption and political interference.
“The new deadline allows the Commission to process additional evidence, including the testimony of various experts who have made recommendations relating to the Commission’s terms of reference,” said the Presidency in a statement.
The move comes as no surprise, as Ramaphosa hinted in July that he was amenable to the idea of a postponement, indicating that all the inquiry had to do was make a formal request.
The President’s office said he was pleased with the work already being done by state institutions to hold those implicated accountable, including through criminal prosecutions.
“President Ramaphosa once again expresses his deepest appreciation for the work conducted by the Commission, as well as for the manner in which law enforcement agencies are following up on testimony emerging from Commission hearings,” said the President’s office.
Ramaphosa appointed the commission in July 2025 following allegations of corruption and criminal infiltration in the justice system made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during an explosive media briefing on 6 July.
It was initially planned to start at the beginning of September 2025, but that was deferred to 17 September, with procurement and infrastructure challenges cited as the reason for the delay.
Mkhwanazi was the first witness to take the stand, setting the stage for what has since become a spectacle, as details of underworld activities have been revealed and likened to something of a Hollywood blockbuster.
The commission, through its spokesperson Jeremy Michaels, swiftly welcomed the extension.