Accountability at a crossroads: South Africa's Madlanga Commission faces a critical test
The great gift that keeps on giving that is the Madlanga Commission did not disappoint the media and members of the public who followed proceedings this week with even greater interest as one of the “kingpins” in the alleged criminal justice system rot under investigation took the witness stand.
While controversial businessman Vusumuzi “Cat” Matlala left many questions unanswered for fear of incriminating himself, he did shed some light about some of the big names that have been fingered. Among these are controversial businessman Hangwani Morgan Maumela – a distant relative of President Cyril Ramaphosa – as well as alleged politically connected “fixer” Brown Mo.
Matlala confirmed that Maumela is a friend and a former business partner, but refused to go into details since the man linked to irregular contracts involving billions of rands at the infamous Tembisa Hospital is under investigation by the Special Investigating Unit.
South Africa was still reeling from Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s Deputy Director for Investigations Len John’s earth-shattering testimony concerning police allegedly acting as hit squads under the cover of legitimate policing.
