There Is No Time for Another Costly Commission, Mr President

GOOD Statement by Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General:

It has been exactly one week since KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, made explosive and deeply troubling allegations against senior figures in our police service, intelligence community, prosecuting authority, and political leadership.

In response, the President has now announced a judicial commission of inquiry, to be led by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, with terms stretching over three to six months for initial and interim reports.

This is not good enough.

The appointment of a commission, while well-intentioned, is too slow, too cumbersome, and too costly. We have walked this road before, most notably with the Zondo Commission and we have seen that a commission of inquiry cannot replace a criminal investigation.

The Zondo commission produced volumes of prima facie evidence, which the investigating authorities were then required to investigate before any decision to prosecute could be made. Thus, despite its extensive findings, the pace of implementation has been glacial.

South Africans have grown tired of commissions that reveal what we already know, while those implicated continue to operate with impunity.

The allegations made by General Mkhwanazi are not vague or speculative. These matters demand urgent and credible criminal investigation, not another year-long process whose outcomes may never be actioned.

The judicial commission cannot suspend, charge, or arrest anyone. It can only recommend. And until it does, those implicated remain in place, leaving the system vulnerable and trust further diminished. Only Minister Senzo Mchunu has been placed on special leave, likely earning a ministerial salary for sitting at home.

The GOOD Party reiterates its call on the President to empower the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to conduct a swift, independent probe under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act. The SIU has the legal mandate, investigative muscle, and track record to pursue complex corruption matters involving public officials.

South Africans deserve to know, without delay, the full extent of the rot.

Waiting for the conclusion of yet another commission will only serve the interests of those who wish to bury the truth.

We wish Prof Firoz Cachalia well in his new role. But this is not a question of capable leadership, it is a question of decisive state action.

GOOD Manifesto on Future Vision: Aiming for a society where all South Africans can live in harmony and prosperity.

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