The ongoing Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has sent shockwaves through South Africa’s political landscape after revealing what it described as a coordinated plot to “capture the state anew” ahead of the 2029 general elections. The explosive findings have sparked nationwide debate, with Reverend Mo’hau Khumalo warning that the country could be “on the brink of repeating the sins of the past.”
According to preliminary evidence presented before the commission, a network of politically connected business figures and former state officials has allegedly been working behind the scenes to regain influence over key government sectors, including energy, logistics, and public procurement. The commission, chaired by Justice Mandisa Madlanga, was established earlier this year to investigate ongoing corruption and interference in state institutions.
Reverend Khumalo, a respected anti-corruption activist and leader of the National Moral Restoration Forum, sounded the alarm in a public statement following Friday’s session. “What is unfolding before the Madlanga Commission is not just corruption — it is a systematic attempt to rebuild the machinery of state capture,” he warned. “If citizens and institutions fail to act now, we will walk into 2029 under the shadow of another captured state.”
Khumalo urged law enforcement agencies to move swiftly on the evidence already before the commission, calling for “immediate prosecution of those implicated, regardless of their political or economic standing.” He added that faith-based organisations would mobilise nationwide prayer vigils and civic dialogues to raise awareness about the alleged scheme.
Sources close to the commission revealed that investigators have identified offshore accounts, shell companies, and undisclosed campaign donations allegedly linked to the network. These findings, they said, mirror patterns seen during the previous state capture era.
Justice Madlanga, in her closing remarks on Friday, said the commission would not be “intimidated or diverted” by political pressure. “Our duty is to the Constitution and the people of South Africa. No one is above accountability,” she stated firmly.
The Presidency has yet to respond to the revelations, while opposition parties have called for the full publication of all interim findings. The Democratic Alliance said the disclosures “confirm that state capture never truly ended — it merely evolved.”
Reverend Khumalo concluded his statement with a call to unity and vigilance. “South Africa must not fall asleep again. This is the moment to defend our democracy before it is sold back to the highest bidder.”
