Madlanga Commission seeks closed-door testimony from intelligence coordinator

General overview at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry at Brigitte Mabandla Judicial College in Pretoria on 22 September 2025. Picture: Gallo Images/Luba Lesolle

The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System is considering an application to hear the testimony of Acting National Intelligence Coordinating Committee (NICOC) Coordinator Dr Ntandazo Sifolo entirely behind closed doors due to the sensitive nature of the evidence he is expected to provide.

The application, brought by the Commission’s evidence leaders under Rule 4.2 of the Commission Rules, seeks an order directing that Dr Sifolo’s evidence “be heard in camera.”

Dr Sifolo was originally scheduled to begin testifying on 13 October 2026. However, in a late-night update on Monday, Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels confirmed that his appearance had been postponed.

“Dr Sifolo’s testimony is no longer scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday) and will be heard on a date to be determined by the Chairperson,” Michaels said.

An attorney representing the Commission supports the application with an affidavit describing the anticipated evidence as highly sensitive.

“His evidence relates to classified material which has been declassified for use by the Commission but not for public dissemination,” the affidavit states.

It adds that “unless he is to testify in camera, it will not be possible for him to give most of the evidence that the evidence leaders want him to give”.

According to the affidavit, Dr Sifolo is expected to testify about the relationship between NICOC and other intelligence and security structures, as well as the identification, assessment and reporting of threats linked to organised crime and criminal syndicate infiltration of the criminal justice system.

The Commission argues that the confidential information is so deeply embedded in Dr Sifolo’s evidence that it cannot realistically be separated from the rest of his testimony.

“Because the details which cannot publicly be disclosed are interwoven throughout Dr Sifolo’s statement, it is not practically possible to separate them from the rest of the evidence without materially disrupting or limiting the evidence,” the affidavit states.

In what the Commission describes as a measure aimed at ensuring openness and fairness, media organisations have been notified of the application and invited to oppose it.

Any media house wishing to challenge the application must do so in writing by Thursday, 15 October 2026.

If the application succeeds, the Chairperson, Mbuyiseli Madlanga, will determine who may attend the proceedings, and transcripts, recordings, and related exhibits from the session will be treated as confidential.

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