Madlanga Commission Faces Backlash After Protected Witnesses’ Identities Exposed

Serious concerns have emerged over the safety of witnesses appearing before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry after the identities of two protected individuals were mistakenly revealed during this week’s proceedings.

The Commission, which is investigating alleged links between politicians, police officers, and organised crime, has come under intense criticism for what many are calling a dangerous and potentially deadly oversight.

Observers warn that the breach could put witnesses’ lives in jeopardy and further erode confidence in South Africa’s already fragile witness protection framework.

“One of the Worst Things That Could Happen”

Anti-crime campaigner, whistleblower, and former witness protection participant Roegshanda Pascoe—speaking from an undisclosed location—condemned the exposure, calling it “one of the worst things that could happen” to those under protection.

Pascoe highlighted the chronic underfunding and vulnerability of South Africa’s witness protection system, saying many witnesses are forced to survive with minimal financial and security assistance from the state.

“My case was in 2016. In 2019, I had to go to court and testify. Before I even went to testify, people in the community already knew, and already then, I had to sit with the fact that the perpetrator’s family members came and threatened me,” she said.

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“If your identity is out there, it’s not about you just testifying; your family can be threatened. That is the leverage you have given to them once they know your identity, whoever the perpetrator is, in any case.

“In my case, the night before I had to testify, they came to execute the hit, and who was in the firing line? Luckily for me, I haven’t told anybody, not the state prosecutor, not the investigating officer, that I had a safety plan in place aside from what they have undertaken.

“What we must understand, our state does not have the money to really secure.”

Madlanga Commission | Growing Distrust in the Justice System

Pascoe warned that any leak of protected identities—whether through negligence, bribery, or incompetence—can have devastating consequences, not only for witnesses but also for their families. She added that such failures signal a deeper breakdown in public confidence in South Africa’s justice system.

The incident has intensified calls for urgent reform within the witness protection programme and raised questions about how such an error could occur in a high-profile national inquiry.

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