Ramaphosa Had Intelligence on Justice System Corruption Before Mkhwanazi’s Bombshell

The Madlanga Commission has heard that President Cyril Ramaphosa received an intelligence report warning that South Africa’s criminal justice system was seriously compromised, six days before KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi held his press conference.

The information came from Dr Ntandazo Sifolo, the Acting Director of the National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee (NICOC), who gave evidence before the commission. According to Sifolo, the report reached the President on 30 June 2025. Mkhwanazi addressed the media on 6 July 2025, where he made allegations about corruption, interference and possible criminal networks inside the country’s law enforcement structures. His press conference drew national attention and sparked a wide debate about the state of policing and the links between law enforcement and powerful people.

The commission is looking at what information different government institutions had before and after Mkhwanazi spoke out. It also wants to know what senior political and security officials understood about the alleged problems in the criminal justice system. Sifolo’s evidence has put the spotlight on the intelligence report and the warnings it reportedly contained. The report described the system as severely compromised, which raises questions about how deep the alleged corruption goes and how it may affect the country’s ability to investigate and prosecute crime.

The Madlanga Commission was set up to investigate claims of criminality, political interference and corruption within the criminal justice system. Witnesses have so far included a number of officials and other people whose evidence may help show how the alleged networks worked and whether institutions missed or ignored warning signs. Sifolo’s appearance is part of the effort to understand how intelligence was collected, shared and handled at the highest levels of government.

The news that the President reportedly had the report before the press conference is likely to raise more questions about what was done in response. However, the testimony on its own does not show what decisions Ramaphosa made after receiving the document. The commission is expected to look further into the circumstances around the report and what the relevant authorities knew at the time.

Many South Africans are following the hearings closely as witnesses explain the alleged weaknesses in the institutions meant to protect the public and uphold the law.

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