Madlanga Commission gets until 25 January 2027 to file final report

The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has until 25 January 2027 to submit its final report, after President Cyril Ramaphosa granted the inquiry a further extension. The commission had been required to complete its work by 16 November 2026.

The Presidency announced the extension on Saturday, 19 September, and described it as the final one. As The South African reported the same day, the additional time will allow the commission to process further evidence, including testimony from experts who have made recommendations relevant to its terms of reference.

The commission’s spokesperson, Jeremy Michaels, said the inquiry welcomed the extension. “This extension to 25 January 2027 will allow the commission to hear outstanding testimony and write the final report,” he said.

What the commission is examining

The inquiry was established in July 2025 after serious allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi concerning alleged criminal infiltration, political interference and corruption within the criminal justice system. Retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga chairs the commission.

Public hearings began on 17 September 2025 and have heard evidence from more than 100 witnesses. Testimony has covered the alleged criminal infiltration of law enforcement agencies, the Political Killings Task Team and other matters within the commission’s terms of reference.

Most recently, the commission resumed hearings after a two-week break, with evidence focusing on the Johannesburg Metro Police Department and allegations of criminal networks and collusion involving officers.

Why the extension matters for the people who live here

The commission’s work sits at the centre of public concern about whether police and prosecuting institutions can be trusted to act against organised crime. For residents of communities where extortion, gang violence and illegal mining settlements have taken hold, the inquiry’s findings will be the first official account of how criminal networks may have penetrated the very agencies meant to stop them.

The commission’s final report is expected to carry recommendations on the structure and oversight of the police, the National Prosecuting Authority and intelligence services. Those recommendations, once handed to the President, are not automatically binding. Parliament and the relevant departments will decide which to implement.

A longer inquiry also carries a cost. Public hearings require security, venue hire, transcription and legal support, and the commission’s budget has already been extended once. The Presidency has not disclosed the cost of the additional two months.

What has been established

The commission has not yet made findings. Its mandate is to gather evidence and report. The allegations before it remain untested in a court of law, and no one has been charged on the strength of the testimony heard so far.

What is confirmed is the scale of the evidence: more than 100 witnesses, a full year of public hearings, and testimony that has already touched the country’s largest metro police force. The commission will now have until 25 January 2027 to complete its outstanding work and submit its final report.

Source: The South African, Cyril Ramaphosa grants Madlanga Commission final deadline extension