The final report of the Madlanga commission of inquiry into alleged links between law enforcement agencies and criminal elements will be made public by President Cyril Ramaphosa, his spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Monday.
However, the interim report of the commission due to be submitted to the president later this week would not be released to the public, he added.
This non-disclosure of the interim report has drawn criticism about a lack of transparency, but Magwenya said the entire proceedings of the commission had been open to the public and the media, which had ensured transparency.
The commission would guide the president on how to manage issues of national security sensitivity, which would be the most consequential aspect of the final report.
Magwenya explained that some witnesses would be called back to give further evidence to the commission, and it would not be helpful to release half-baked, incomplete evidence in the interim report. “We need to allow the process to be completed,” he said.
A review was under way on how to protect witnesses after the assassination of one of them, whistleblower Marius van der Merwe, and justice minister Mmamoloko Kubayi was also engaging with media leadership to ensure they could be protected.
He stressed that there was no legal obligation on Ramaphosa to release the interim report, and any legal action to compel him to do so would be “frivolous” and a waste of time.
Ramaphosa would have to be advised by the commission on any possible extension of the commission and the cost implications of this. He expected the commission to refer criminal matters for criminal prosecution.
Commenting on US President Donald Trump’s statement that South Africa would not be invited to the next G20 summit in 2026 in the US, Magwenya reiterated the position that South Africa, as a founding member of the G20, did not have to be invited and its exclusion was an affront to multilateralism which should be rejected by all its members.
He said South Africa had been engaging with other G20 members to encourage them to object to South Africa’s exclusion but would not ask them to boycott the summit and G20 processes.
South Africa was also lobbying for the issues it championed in the G20 summit in Joburg dealing with poverty, inequality and climate change, among others, to remain on the G20 agenda. It was in close discussion with G7 members to ensure the continuity of the issues at this year’s G20 on the G7 agenda.
On attempts to retrieve the South Africans sent to fight for Russia in its war against Ukraine, Magwenya said discussions were under way with various Russian authorities.
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