President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended both the Zondo and Madlanga Commissions, praising that the nearly R16 billion looted from state coffers has already been recovered by Zondo, declaring the inquiry far from a “waste of money.”
Addressing the media on Thursday, Ramaphosa said the inquiries into corruption and policing failures were essential to exposing entrenched wrongdoing and rebuilding broken institutions.
“People have said the Zondo Commission was a waste of money,” he said.
“It achieved a great deal. We recovered almost R16 billion that was taken out of state coffers illegally.”
Madlanga Commission.
He added that the Madlanga Commission had also played a decisive role in exposing systemic weaknesses within policing structures and accelerating urgent reforms.
“Had we not appointed the Madlanga Commission, the malfeasance we are now uncovering would not have come out when it did,” Ramaphosa said.
The president pushed back strongly against growing public scepticism about the cost of state commissions, arguing their value lies not only in findings, but in measurable recovery and institutional repair.
“Some say we spent a billion rand and achieved nothing. That is simply not true,” he said.
“We have passed laws, fixed systems, and we are still pursuing investigations flowing from those reports.”
The Zondo Commission was officially established on January 9, 2018.
It was set up to investigate claims of corruption, fraud, and state capture in the country, with public hearings commencing in August 2018 and concluding in June 2022.
The country had the Seriti Commission into the 1999 Arms Deal was declared a “whitewash” after it exonerated key political and business figures.
The Marikana commission of inquiry failed to deliver justice for victims, said the Socio – Economic Rights Institute
It also had the Marikana Commission, which was established after the police massacre of 34 mineworkers in 2012, recommended prosecutions and police reforms.
Yet 13 years later, most families are still waiting for justice.
Ramaphosa’s defence came alongside a major announcement on policing leadership.
He announced the suspension of the National Police Commissioner, Gen. Fannie Masemola.
He has appointed Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane as acting national commissioner.
The president said the police service is undergoing a deep restructuring process, including vetting of senior leadership and the creation of specialised teams to strengthen public policing.
“We are now vetting everyone in the top hierarchy of the police… That process is an important part of rebuilding trust and effectiveness,” he said.
Ramaphosa said the combined impact of commissions and ongoing reforms is beginning to reshape accountability in the country’s justice and security systems, even as investigations and prosecutions continue.
THE Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration (including Traditional Affairs, Human Settlements and Water and Sanitation) has criticised the North West Provincial Department of Human Settlements, the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality and the Matlosana Local Municipality for poor integrated planning.This follows an oversight visit to Matlosana, where a housing project was implemented without adequate bulk infrastructure.The chairperson of the committee, Mxolisi Kaunda, said in a statement this […]
