Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has suspended a senior official and started disciplinary action against the department’s director-general due to delays in launching an important anti-corruption investigation.
The investigation, known as the Madlanga Commission, was supposed to begin public hearings on September 1st but could not start because necessary equipment and resources were not ready. Minister Kubayi called the delays unacceptable and pointed to management failures within her department.
The minister suspended Jabu Hlatshwayo, the deputy director-general responsible for technology, whose team was in charge of preparing the commission’s technical setup. She also began disciplinary steps against the department’s director-general, Advocate Doc Mashabane, for failing to properly oversee the planning.
Kubayi stated that she had multiple meetings with officials to try to resolve the problems but found that normal procurement rules could not be sped up without breaking the law. She informed President Cyril Ramaphosa of the situation, who supported her actions.
The Madlanga Commission was created after a police commissioner revealed that criminal networks had infiltrated law enforcement, courts, and other parts of South Africa’s justice system. Its work is considered vital to exposing corruption and strengthening the country’s legal institutions.
Minister Kubayi said these delays were avoidable and damage public trust in the justice system. She promised to restore accountability and ensure future investigations are managed more effectively.
These actions are meant to show that negligence and poor management will not be tolerated, while assuring the public that the commission will continue its important work without further delays.