The commission of inquiry into allegations of corruption in the criminal justice system will not start on September 1 as planned, commission chair Mbuyiseli Madlanga has announced.
In a statement on Tuesday, Madlanga said the much-anticipated commission was delayed due to issues with procurement of vital infrastructure by the department of justice and constitutional development.
The delay is likely to affect the commission’s ability to deliver its first report within three months.
Last week, the commission said the department was in the process of procuring the commission’s infrastructure requirements to commence its hearings.
Madlanga said the preparations by the department, however, hit a snag.
“Unfortunately, those commitments have not been met. As a result, it has since become clear that the commission will not be able to start the hearings as scheduled,” he said.
“But for the lack of the requirements that the department has failed to procure, the commission would otherwise have been ready to commence the hearings on September 1. Regrettably, the commission is now left with no choice but to reschedule the starting date.”
Madlanga hinted that the delay would affect President Cyril Ramaphosa’s expectation for the first report to be submitted within three months.
“What is most regrettable is that a substantial portion of the three-month period at the end of which the commission is expected to submit an interim report has gone by without the commission having heard a single witness. This is not of the commission’s making.”
Madlanga did not indicate a new starting date.
“The commission considers it best to fix a new date for the commencement of its hearings once everything that needs to be procured by the department is in place.
“It also wishes to assure South Africans that it is doing everything within its power to ensure that the first witness will take the stand as soon as possible after everything has been procured by the department.”
The delay takes place as former president Jacob Zuma is in a legal showdown against his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Zuma and his MK party want the establishment of the commission set aside. He argues it would be likely to take longer than six months and not yield results.
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