The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry closed its hearing to the public on 4 May 2026 during the testimony of a Crime Intelligence officer known as Witness G. The switch to a private session followed the witness's refusal to disclose details that could reveal their identity. The testimony concerns suspicious deaths and businessman Brown Mogotsi.
On Monday, 4 May 2026, the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, chaired by Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, decided to conduct the testimony of Witness G in private. The Crime Intelligence officer, using a pseudonym for safety, was initially set to testify partially in public about suspicious deaths, apparent assassination attempts, and links to ANC-aligned businessman Brown Mogotsi.
Proceedings began with limited details in the morning, including Witness G's confirmation of meeting Mogotsi's legal counsel in November 2025. Evidence leader advocate Matthew Chaskalson noted that "the role of Mogotsi in Crime Intelligence" is "central to our investigation". Chaskalson urged Witness G to read relevant statement sections into the record, stating, “You deal with suspicious deaths, apparent assassination attempts and the like.”
Witness G refused, explaining, “I’m not going to read it into the record. It will identify who [I am].” This led to pauses and intervals, prompting Chaskalson to request an in-camera session. Justice Madlanga ruled accordingly, stating the hearing would no longer be accessible to the public or journalists “purely because it’s become impossible to proceed along these lines”.
Last month, the commission had ordered Witness G to testify virtually and off-screen with audio broadcast, reserving sensitive parts for private hearings. The inquiry probes accusations of a cartel infiltrating South Africa’s criminal justice system, politics, and private security, with Crime Intelligence featuring prominently.
