20 October 2025
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Ramaphosa must think again! We need urgency, transparency, and accountability, not another legal charade, writes Imam Dr A. Rashied Omar.

On Sunday evening, 13 July 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry into the appalling allegations of criminal capture and political interference in the South African Police Service (SAPS). While this decision rightly acknowledges the gravity and seriousness of the crisis, it regrettably misses the mark and squanders what the urgency of the moment demands: transparent and decisive action.

The current crisis we face is not merely a governance failure it is a catastrophic collapse of public trust in policing and justice. In communities across our country, from Mitchells Plain, Westbury, Gugulethu, and Zwide, people are burying their children, living in fear of gang violence, political assassinations, and the daily erosion of law and order. The public cannot be asked to endure yet another drawn-out and costly judicial process, especially when recent history, most notably the Zondo Commission, has shown us how such processes can produce exhaustive reports that are shelved, delayed, or selectively ignored, allowing corruption to fester. Justice delayed in these communities is not just a procedural failure; it is a moral betrayal of the most vulnerable in our society.

Judicial Commissions: Prolonged Process, Elusive Justice?

Judicial commissions too often provide the appearance of action, while allowing political actors to sidestep immediate accountability. As the tragic experience of the Zondo Commission showed, forensic brilliance does not automatically translate into political will or policy change. Many of Zondo’s recommendations gather dust while corruption festers. The legal powers of a judicial commission are considerable, but its ultimate authority remains tethered to the Executive.  A judicial commission reports to the President, not Parliament, leaving its findings vulnerable to delays, redactions, or outright political suppression. This is particularly dangerous when the allegations strike at the heart of ministerial misconduct and political interference, areas where Parliament, not the Presidency, has constitutional oversight.

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With SAPS, we do not face a technical or legal dilemma; we face a political and governance crisis. The allegations made by Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi have exposed gross ministerial interference, the gutting of anti-crime units, and the entrenchment of organised criminal networks within the police hierarchy. These accusations cut to the heart of political ethics and ministerial accountability, matters squarely within the constitutional oversight powers of Parliament.

Parliament inquiry: Urgent, Transparent, Accountable

The people of South Africa deserve to see their elected representatives leading the charge. A Parliamentary Inquiry, driven by the Portfolio Committees on Police and Justice, with multi-party representation and open public hearings, is the proper vehicle to address this crisis. Such an inquiry offers three clear advantages:

  • Speed: It can be instituted immediately, with live proceedings, compelling real-time testimony from implicated officials.
  • Transparency: Live public hearings allow victims, whistleblowers, and communities to witness justice in action, restoring a measure of trust in democratic institutions.
  • Cost-efficiency: In contrast to judicial commissions, parliamentary inquiries utilise existing infrastructure, sparing taxpayers from exorbitant legal fees, which have become the hallmark of recent commissions.
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Moreover, Parliament can compel ministers to account under oath, recommend suspensions, initiate legislative reforms, and refer cases to the prosecuting authorities without undue presidential interference. This is not the time for another bureaucratic commission that delays difficult decisions. It is a time for decisive, democratic oversight, for Parliament to fulfil its constitutional duty to the people, to the law, and to the future of this fractured country.

President Ramaphosa Must Think Again

We appeal to the conscience of the President: revise your approach. Empower Parliament to act boldly and swiftly. South Africans, especially the most vulnerable in gang and crime-ravaged communities, cannot wait years for justice. They need decisive action now. Justice delayed is not justice served; it is justice denied. Let us choose urgency, transparency, and accountability, not another legal charade.

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