LIVE | Parliament committee reviews progress on Mkhwanazi's corruption allegations
South African Justice System Under Review: Parliamentary Committee Examines Corruption Claims
Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers
The Parliamentary ad hoc committee investigating allegations made by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi is set to review its interim progress report to date, update outstanding consultations, and deliberate on the proposed programme moving forward on Monday.
The committee is probing serious allegations of criminal infiltration, corruption, and political interference within South Africa’s justice system following explosive claims by Mkhwanazi made in July last year.
The committee, chaired by Soviet Lekganyane, began its hearings on October 7, 2025, amid troubling allegations of a sophisticated crime syndicate, referred to as the “Big Five,” deeply embedded within law enforcement and intelligence structures.
At a media briefing on July 6, 2024, Mkhwanazi detailed the syndicate’s pervasive presence within the security forces.
"This is not merely about individual acts of corruption," Mkhwanazi said, "but a deliberate and concerted effort to subvert the justice system from within."
Central to the investigation is the decision on December 31, 2024, by suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).
Mkhwanazi warned the committee that this move "severely undermines investigations into politically motivated killings, many linked to prominent members of the syndicate."
The committee also heard from Mkhwanazi about the role of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) in the controversial arrest of Crime Intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo earlier this year - an event that sent shockwaves through the security establishment.
Since the hearings commenced, key figures, including Mkhwanazi, suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibuyi, former Police Minister Bheki Cele, Deputy Police Ministers Cassel Mathale and Dr. Paulina Boshielo, acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, and Andrea Johnson, Head of IDAC, have testified.
Lekganyane emphasised the committee’s critical role, stating, "Our mandate is clear - to uncover the truth and restore integrity within our justice system. We will leave no stone unturned."
The committee will continue its sessions in the coming days as it seeks to reveal the full extent of corruption and criminal infiltration threatening South Africa’s justice institutions.
thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za
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