Ramaphosa Orders Special Police Unit To Probe Madlanga Commission Allegations

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on all law enforcement agencies and other relevant criminal justice institutions to act with speed in implementing the recommendations of the Madlanga Commission’s interim report.

In a statement made available to The Bulrushes on Thursday, 29 January 2026, President Ramaphosa revealed that the interim report had found serious wrongdoing and that immediate action should be taken against implicated individuals.

“The Commission, in accordance with its terms of reference, makes several referrals concerning matters that require immediate further investigation by the relevant and impacted law enforcement institutions, including criminal investigations,” the statement said.

“President Ramaphosa expects all law enforcement agencies and other relevant criminal justice institutions to act with speed in implementing the recommendations of the Commission’s interim report.

“Such immediate action will help to restore public trust and strengthen operational capacity in the affected state entities tasked with fighting crime and corruption.”

Where the commission has said that there is prima facie evidence of wrongdoing, it has made referrals for investigation by the appropriate officials in the South African Police Service (SAPS), Independent Police Investigative Directorate, or the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.

The referrals relate to the following SAPS officials:

1. Major General Lesetja Senona
2. Major General Richard Shibiri
3. Brigadier Mbangwa Nkhwashu
4. Brigadier Rachel Matjeng
5. Sergeant Fannie Nkosi

Prima facie evidence of wrongdoing was also found by the Commission with regard to the following current and former employees of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality:

1. Suspended EMPD Chief of Police Commissioner Julius Mkhwanazi
2. EMPD Officer Bafana Twala
3. EMPD Officer Aiden McKenzie
4. EMPD Officer Kershia Leigh Stols
5. EMM former City Manager Dr Imogen Mashazi
6. EMM fleet manager/proxy Mr Chris Steyn
7. EMM Head of Department of Human Resources Ms Linda Gxasheka
8. EMM Head of Legal Adv Kemi Behari
9. Mr Etienne van der Walt

“The matters highlighted for referral concern allegations of criminality, corruption, fraud, murder, perjury, and other unlawful actions by officials and officers in the employ of the South African Police Service, City of Ekurhuleni, and the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department,” the statement said.

Where IPID is already seized with certain matters, the Commission will make a referral to IPID on the status of their investigations and seek explanations for any delays.

President Ramaphosa has noted that some of the implicated individuals will return to the Commission to respond to allegations presented against them and that more witnesses are yet to deliver their evidence.

While the Commission emphasises that, with the exception of EMPD Chief, Commissioner Julius Mkhwanazi, it has not yet heard the response of some of  the relevant persons listed above, the allegations against them remain prima facie allegations only and are not findings of the Commission.

The nature of these allegations however warrants the referrals for further investigation and potential disciplinary, prosecutorial or regulatory action right away.

President Ramaphosa has directed the Minister of Police Professor Firoz Cachalia and General Fannie Masemola, the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service to constitute a special investigations task team, with a leader who will report directly to General Masemola.

The task team will institute investigations against people identified by the Commission for investigation.

Establishing a special unit is critical to ensure that these investigations take place as a matter of urgency.

On the 13th of July 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System.

This followed serious allegations made by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi about the existence and operation of a sophisticated criminal syndicate that has allegedly infiltrated the criminal justice system in South Africa.

“President Ramaphosa would like to express his deepest appreciation to the Commission chairperson, retired Justice Madlanga, Commissioners Baloyi and Khumalo, and to all the Commission staff for their diligent work in the delivery of the interim report,” the statement said.

“The President looks forward to the finalisation of the Commission’s work and its contribution to the effective functioning of law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system.”

• This article was originally published by The Bulrushes It is republished by TechFinancials under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence. Read the original article