By Johnathan Paoli
President Cyril Ramaphosa has granted the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System an extension to complete its work, pushing back the deadline for its final report by more than two months.
The Presidency announced on Thursday that the commission will now submit its final report on 16 November 2026, instead of the previously anticipated deadline of the end of August.
According to a statement, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the extension also provides the commission with additional time to conclude its evidence-gathering process.
“The extension granted by the President sets an evidence deadline of Friday, 2 October 2026, and a reporting deadline of Monday, 16 November, to enable the Commission to close off topics it has opened up in the course of hearings to date,” Magwenya said.
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The presidency said the additional time would ensure the commission is able to fulfil its mandate and investigate all matters falling within its terms of reference.
“Without an extension, the Commission will have to leave large parts of its work unfinished,” Magwenya said.
The Commission, chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, was established to investigate allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption within South Africa’s criminal justice system.
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Its inquiry has focused on claims involving elements of the South African Police Service, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Crime Intelligence and other law enforcement structures.
Since commencing public hearings, the Commission has heard testimony from numerous current and former senior police officials, investigators and expert witnesses.
Evidence presented during the inquiry has included allegations of political interference in criminal investigations, corruption within law enforcement agencies, failures in intelligence oversight, and weaknesses in financial disclosure and lifestyle audit systems for senior officials.
Magwenya said the president reaffirmed his support for the commission’s work and acknowledged the progress made by investigators acting on evidence emerging from its hearings.
“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 testimony emerging from Commission hearings,” Magwenya said.
The commission is now expected to conclude the hearing of evidence by 2 October before preparing and submitting its final report to the president in mid November, marking the culmination of one of the country’s most significant inquiries into corruption and political interference within the criminal justice system.
