KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi appears before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. Photo Credit: NNA News

NNA News - One year after KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi publicly alleged corruption and criminal infiltration within parts of South Africa's criminal justice system, many South Africans say they are looking to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry to establish the facts and strengthen public confidence in the country's justice institutions.

Mkhwanazi's media briefing on 6 July 2025 triggered widespread national debate over allegations involving elements of law enforcement and the broader criminal justice system. Since then, the commission has continued hearing evidence as part of efforts to examine the claims and determine whether institutional reforms are required. As the anniversary is marked, NNA News spoke to residents in Johannesburg, whose views reflected a broader public expectation that the inquiry should deliver accountability while reinforcing the rule of law.

In Kliptown, Sipho Thwala said the commission had given ordinary South Africans an opportunity to participate in a process that many hope will expose wrongdoing. "I think this is the best commission ever, more than all the other commissions that have been established. Especially the Zondo Commission, it was totally out of this world. It was on its own. This commission is for the people. People's views are regarded as important because I saw ordinary people coming to give evidence," Thwala told NNA News.

He also praised Mkhwanazi for making the allegations public. "Although one of the people was shot dead, which is painful, the truth is that Mkhwanazi was brave enough to stand against corruption and to stand up for what is wrong in our country," he said. Another Kliptown resident, Kenneth Mdayi, said he believes the commission has the potential to improve accountability within the police service. "The Madlanga Commission is going to help and assist a lot of people, especially those at police stations," he said.

Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga addresses the media during a briefing related to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. Photo Credit: NNA News

In Braamfontein, Johannesburg, Athini Mpedi said the commission had helped restore confidence in South Africa's constitutional institutions. "What we're seeing with the Madlanga brings back the trust in the judicial system and in the justice system on its own, to have confidence in the people that represent the full law of the Constitution and protect it," Mpedi said.

He added that initiatives aimed at protecting constitutional democracy deserved continued public support. "I think it is the number one thing that we need to always try to do, to make sure that we support initiatives that protect the Constitution and uphold its roots." Kawufelo Phala said he remained cautiously optimistic about the commission's progress. "So far so good, we're seeing the results. People who are more implicated have been arrested and at the same time we just want to see how it's going to end up," he said.

The commission's work continues as South Africans await its findings and recommendations. For many, the inquiry has become a test of the country's ability to confront allegations of corruption within state institutions through established legal processes. Its eventual outcome is expected to shape public debate around accountability, governance and confidence in the criminal justice system for years to come.