The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry resumes in Pretoria this morning, where a new witness is expected to testify remotely but on camera.
The hearings continue to examine allegations of criminality, political interference, and corruption within South Africa’s criminal justice system.
The new testimony follows the appearance of police ballistic expert Brigadier Mishack Mkhabela, who took the stand on Monday.
Mkhabela’s evidence focused not only on the 2024 murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart but also on broader issues surrounding gun violence and systemic failures within police forensic services.
Mkhabela testified about a disputed police ballistics report linked to Swart’s killing, describing how a “typing error” in the document had omitted crucial evidence — including 15 AK-47 cartridges found in the suspects’ possession.
Senior counsel Michael Chaskalson, leading evidence for the commission, questioned whether the omissions were accidental or deliberate, warning they could have jeopardised the entire investigation.
“This may not be a mistake but an attempt at sabotage,” Chaskalson told the commission.
Mkhabela maintained the mistakes were administrative and insisted they were later corrected, but he conceded that some procedures “may be perceived as improper.”
He also revealed that the firearms seized in the Swart case had been linked to multiple other violent crimes, including the murders of musicians DJ Sumbody and DJ Vintos.
The commission, chaired by Justice Mandisa Madlanga, is investigating allegations of interference in high-profile police operations, corruption in law enforcement, and failures in the country’s justice system.
The inquiry follows a series of testimonies revealing how senior police officials allegedly obstructed investigations and manipulated internal processes for personal or political gain.
Last week’s proceedings ended dramatically with the testimony of Witness C, an investigator from the Political Killings Task Team.
Witness C, whose identity was concealed for safety reasons, linked senior police officers to a R1.2 billion South African Police Service (SAPS) tender involving businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
He described extensive interference from senior officials and claimed that Matlala had connections to Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, counterintelligence head Feroz Khan, and organised crime head Richard Shibiri.
The new witness taking the stand today is expected to expand on those claims, potentially corroborating evidence of systemic obstruction and corruption within the police.
Tune into the live proceedings, which kick off at 09:00 SAST, below:
