Madlanga Commission to pursue charges over witness identity leak
· The South African
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry will institute criminal proceedings against the person who exposed the identity of an anonymous witness.
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Commission chairperson, retired Constitutional Court Judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga, announced the decision on Monday.
Witnesses testified anonymously
The commission has heard testimony from several anonymous witnesses since hearings began in September last year.
Many witnesses requested anonymity because they feared for their lives.
One of them, Marius van der Merwe, testified under the alias “Witness D”. Gunmen killed him weeks after he gave evidence to the commission.
Commission takes action
Madlanga said the law prohibits anyone from revealing the identity of an anonymous witness.
“Consequently, the commission is going to institute criminal proceedings against that person. This is a matter the commission takes very seriously and it simply must act in these circumstances.”
The commission did not identify the person. It also did not say when it would lay charges.
Inquiry continues
President Cyril Ramaphosa established the Madlanga Commission in 2025.
The inquiry is investigating allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption in South Africa’s criminal justice system. It followed allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.