We know the whole Madlanga Commission situation can feel super confusing — there are so many police officials, deputies, commissioners, and ministers involved that it’s hard to keep track. That’s exactly why we’ve broken it down for you.

The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year, is investigating allegations of corruption, political interference, and criminal infiltration at the top of the South African Police Service (SAPS). Senior police leaders and political figures have been called to testify, revealing a tangled web of rivalries, questionable decisions, and alleged shady dealings.

Here’s a breakdown of who’s who, what they’ve told the commission, and the accusations levelled against them so far. 

How SAPS is structured

Think of the SAPS like a big pyramid with a mix of politicians and cops keeping things in check.

At the top, you’ve got the Minister of Police calling the shots on policy: think budgets, strategies, and keeping Parliament happy.

Below them is the National Commissioner, the head honcho of all police operations, who runs the day-to-day chaos of catching the bad guys across the country.

Under that, there are four main branches: 

  • Visible policing: the everyday officers on patrol and crowd control duty, cops on the beat. 
  • Detective services: this includes elite squads like the Hawks, who chase high-level crimes like corruption and organised syndicates.
  • Crime intelligence: the shadowy branch gathering secret information and keeping tabs on criminal networks (and sometimes, each other).
  • Management support: handles HR, logistics, and budgets.

Zoom in further, and you’ve got nine provincial commissioners running regional ops, plus specialised units like the Hawks with their own provincial heads. It’s a hierarchical beast, with four Deputy National Commissioners and various Divisional Commissioners reporting up the chain. In theory, it’s designed for efficiency and accountability. In practice? Well, that’s where the Madlanga Commission comes in.

Then there are oversight bodies meant to keep the police honest:

  • Independent Police Investigative Directorate: Investigate police misconduct, like brutality or corruption, and report to Parliament. The problem is, they need SAPS to cooperate, which isn’t always forthcoming.
  • Hawks (Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation): SAPS’s elite squad for serious crimes like fraud, cartels or terrorism. They’re supposed to be independent but still answer to the National Commissioner.
  • Crime Intelligence: This secretive unit gathers info on bad guys and is vital for pre-empting threats. 

The commission’s hearings suggest this structure, meant to keep us safe, has been twisted to shield criminals like the ‘Big Five’ cartel, who allegedly bribe cops and mess with investigations.

What is the Madlanga Commission?

Formally, it’s the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System. Launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July 2025, it’s chaired by former Constitutional Court judge Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.

Its goal? To uncover how criminal syndicates, politicians, and senior police officers may have colluded to manipulate investigations, silence whistleblowers, and even protect hitmen behind political killings.

Read more from our full explainer here.

Who’s in the hot seat? 

The hearings have drawn in some of the country’s most senior police officials and political figures, many of whom deny any wrongdoing. 

Here’s a quick guide to the key figures, what they’re accused of, and where they fit. 

Note: these are allegations, not proven facts, and many deny the claims.

Fannie Masemola – National Commissioner

Fannie Masemola is the big boss of SAPS, in charge since 2022. He’s the guy who’s supposed to keep the police on track, overseeing everything from patrols to forensics. He also answers directly to the Minister of Police. He’s known for trying to modernise police systems, like upgrading DNA labs, but the commission grilled him over why corruption has flourished under his watch.

What he testified:

  • On 22 September, Masemola began his testimony for two days.
  • He told the commission that the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchun, was responsible for setting national policing policy, whereas operational control lay with the National Commissioner. 
  • He testified that he had informed President Cyril Ramaphosa about Mchunu’s directive to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), calling Mchunu’s order an unlawful “overreach” into ops territory. 

Quick recap: The PKTT, formed in 2018 to investigate political assassinations in KZN, made key breakthroughs under Lt Gen Dumisani Khumalo before being scaled back amid claims of political interference and sabotage.

  • Maselmola pointed fingers at his deputy, Shadrack Sibiya, accusing him of enabling criminal activity for Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. 

Accusations against him:

  • No one’s directly tied him to the “Big Five,” but as the top dog, the buck stops with him.

Shadrack Sibiya – Deputy National Commissioner: Crime Detection (Suspended) 

Sibiya runs the detective branch, including the Hawks, but he’s been suspended since 12 September after being told to take special leave in July. His suspension in July came after KZN Provincial Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s explosive press statement, and he’s prepped to testify soon, likely defending his detective empire.

In ad-hoc parliamentary committee side-shows, he’s raised conflict-of-interest flags over probe committee members and cried “smear campaign” from rivals like Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

Accusations against him:

  • During the hearings, the commission heard allegations from Mkhwanazi that Sibiya issued a letter to disband the PKTT the very day after Masemola had briefed the minister about Sibiya’s alleged criminal links.
  • Mkhwanazi accused Sibiya of gross misconduct and of being involved in political interference regarding the investigation of politically linked killings.
  • After Sibiya’s previous dismissal from the Hawks in 2015, questions were raised about how he rose to high office despite allegations.
  • Allegations also include that Sibiya was very close to alleged syndicate figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala,
  • Texts from Matlala’s phone tie him to fixer Brown Mogotsi for intercepting probes. Sibiya calls it all lies from jealous colleagues.
  • Protected witnesses claim Sibiya pocketed bribes from Matlala to swing a R1.2bn health tender and stalled arrests for figures including KT Molefe.

Senzo Mchunu – Minister of Police (Suspended) 

Mchunu, the political boss of SAPS, was suspended in July after claims he meddled in investigations.

Mchunu was grilled in Parliament’s ad hoc committee (not a full commission yet), where his testimony dragged on repetitively. He denied ever meeting or knowing Matlala, insisted Mogotsi was just an ANC “comrade” (not a shady fixer) and defended PKTT disbandment as pure budget housekeeping, not cartel favours. He admitted to occasional texts with Mogotsi but swore they were harmless politics.  

Accusations against him:

  • Mkhwanazi testified that Mchunu was influenced into shutting down the PKTT and that there is evidence linking him “to some degree” with the syndicates. 
  • Masemola testified that Mchunu’s directive to disband the PKTT was an “encroachment” on his operational authority.
  • Mchunu is accused of undue interference in policing operations, potentially violating the South African Police Service Act and constitutional safeguards for operational independence.

Dumisani Khumalo – Divisional Commissioner: Crime Intelligence 

Khumalo heads the secretive Crime Intelligence division. Ironically, his own division has been accused of covering up internal rot, but his testimony has helped lift the lid on how deep it may go.

What he testified:

  • He rolled out a riveting slideshow of intercepted texts and intel dossiers, spotlighting Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s web of influence: everything from bribing officers to spike investigations to forwarding sensitive court docs via fixer Brown Mogotsi straight to Minister Senzo Mchunu’s doorstep (or at least his chief of staff’s inbox).
  • Khumalo positioned himself as a corroborator to whistleblower Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s bombshells, detailing how his unit’s probes into the PKTT sabotage revealed quid-pro-quo deals that let crooks like Matlala and KT Molefe slip the net.
  • The inquiry was even adjourned when he fell ill.

Accusations against him: 

  • Not directly in the crosshairs, but as intel chief, why the late alarm on cartel cosy-ups? 
  • According to the commission’s public reports, one of the issues he addressed involved the arrest of Khumalo himself (in July 2025), which the commission heard may have been aimed at stalling investigations into organised crime.

Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi – KZN Provincial Commissioner (Whistleblower) 

Mkhwanazi is the Provincial Commissioner for KwaZulu-Natal, overseeing all SAPS operations in the province. He opened the public phase of the hearings with a July media briefing, which first exposed sabotage within the PKTT and set the stage for subsequent suspensions and investigations. 

In that briefing, he flagged political interference in sensitive police operations and warned of cartel infiltration at senior levels.

What he testified:

  • Kicked off week one of the Madlanga Commission (17–19 September) with a three-day testimony, tracing his career and the 2018 formation of the PKTT 
  • Detailed key operations, including the Armand Swart murder, linked to Transnet graft and later arrests of alleged syndicate figures such as “Cat” Matlala
  • In December 2024, Mchunu issued a disbandment letter for the PKTT. Mkhwanazi testified that it came one day after National Commissioner Fannie Masemola briefed the minister on Shadrack Sibiya’s alleged cartel links, and Sibiya himself issued the shutdown order the next morning.
  • He dropped WhatsApp bombshells: texts between Brown Mogotsi and Matlala plotting to ‘neutralise’ the PKTT, with Mogotsi forwarding sensitive intel to Mchunu. 
  • Mkhwanazi accused senior Hawks and Crime Intelligence officers of sabotaging dockets, leaking raid plans, and pressuring magistrates for dodgy bail – including KT Molefe’s R400,000 release despite murder and fraud charges.
  • In week five, he returned to reveal his July 2025 press conference, where he publicly named Mchunu, Matlala, and Mogotsi, directly triggering Sibiya’s suspension and the president’s launch of the commission

Accusations against him:

  • Zero. Mkhwanazi is the only senior figure not accused of wrongdoing. 

Even with all the testimony so far, the picture emerging from the Madlanga Commission is complex. As testimony continues, the Madlanga Commission is painting a clearer picture of just how deeply entrenched the problems within South Africa’s police service might be. 

But beyond the explosive headlines and political drama, South Africans are left asking: Who polices the police? The Madlanga Commission is trying to answer that.

Emma@explain.co.za |  + posts

Emma is a freshly graduated Journalist from Stellenbosch University, who also holds an Honours in history. She joined the explain team, eager to provide thorough and truthful information and connect with her generation.