Ramaphosa defends R147.8 million expenditure on Madlanga Commission of Inquiry

President Cyril Ramaphosa said the R147.8 million to be spent on the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry is necessary to uphold the integrity and credibility of the police and other law enforcement agencies.

Responding to parliamentary questions from EFF MP Lorato Tito, Ramaphosa said the allegations that led to the establishment of the commission of inquiry raised serious concerns around the constitution, the rule of law and national security.

“They therefore require an urgent, independent and comprehensive investigation. The expense associated with the Commission is necessary to safeguard the integrity and credibility of the police and other law enforcement agencies,” he said.

It was reported recently that out of the R147.8m allocated for the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, R64m will be spent on the commissioners, evidence leaders and legal researchers, R4.9m on support staff and R78,890 on operational logistics.

However, Tito said there was increasing public concern regarding the escalating costs of commissions of inquiry, many of which have led to recommendations that were not implemented.

She wanted Ramaphosa to make assurances that the findings and recommendations of the Madlanga Commission will be implemented and not disregarded as has been the case with the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State.

Tito also wanted to know the reasons that the government continued to prioritise expenditure on commissions of inquiry, rather than reallocating the resources towards strengthening critical public sectors such as the South African National Defence Force and public healthcare.

Ramaphosa in his response said the commission will submit an interim report within three months of its establishment and a final report within six months of its establishment.

The President will study the findings and recommendations and determine what action is to be taken, he said.

“It is incorrect to suggest that the findings and recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture and Corruption were disregarded. As required, the President submitted to Parliament on 22 October 2022 a comprehensive response to the commission’s findings.”

He also said he had submitted to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza and National Council of Provinces chairperson Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane an extensive progress report on the implementation of the actions outlined in the response on July 21.

“A copy of the report can be found on the Presidency website.”

Replying to ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip, who said that two prior police reform reports commissioned by his office remained “unacted upon”, Ramaphosa said the report of the Expert Panel into the July 2021 Civil Unrest was published on February 7, 2022.

Trollip had asserted that neither the report of the Expert Panel into the July 2021 Civil Unrest nor the report of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC) has been implemented.

The president said each of the relevant law enforcement and security entities have been working to implement the panel’s recommendations, overseen by the National Security Council, following the report’s publication.

“There has been substantial progress to date on a number of specific recommendations. This progress has been reported on in various State of the Nation Addresses, reports to Parliament, media releases and elsewhere,” he said.

While Ramaphosa in his written response said that he has yet to be presented with the final report of the National Anti-Corruption and Advisory Council (NACAC), his office announced on August 29 that he has received a close-out report.

NACAC was mandated to make recommendations for reforming policing and crime intelligence following the findings of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State.

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za