The Growing Call to Extend the Madlanga Commission Reflects Deep Fractures in South Africa’S Local Government

By Lesego Mahlangu
Senior Researcher Tshwane

While the Commission has exposed how criminal syndicates infiltrate law enforcement and compromise officials—particularly in municipalities like Ekurhuleni and Tshwane—our existing oversight structures (Section 79 and 80 committees) are failing due to weak accountability, politicisation, and the marginalisation of communities.

This democratic breakdown fuels public distrust and emboldens corruption, which steals from development and human dignity.

The Commission’s work must therefore be a wake-up call for fundamental institutional reform, not just administrative tweaks.

Recent events, including the Constitutional Court’s Phala Phala judgment—which found that Parliament acted unlawfully by blocking an impeachment inquiry—show how majorities can be abused to evade accountability.

We cannot remain spectators.

As we approach the 2026 local government elections, we must move beyond costly commissions and periodic voting.

True democracy requires active, informed citizens who use community platforms for problem-solving and shared responsibility. In the words of Chinua Achebe: a robust democracy needs a participatory followership and morally grounded leadership.

The future of our democracy lies in our collective hands.