PRETORIA, South Africa — The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry was rocked by explosive new evidence on Monday, 26 January 2026, as an undercover intelligence operative, known only as Witness E, produced audio recordings allegedly proving that suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu attempted to coach him into giving false testimony.
The testimony has fundamentally shifted the focus of the commission, moving from allegations of “political interference” to potential criminal witness tampering by the highest levels of the Ministry of Police.
The Audio Evidence
Witness E, testifying partially in-camera and under heavy witness protection, presented the commission with recordings of phone calls and meetings he claims occurred between December 2024 and the start of the commission’s public hearings in September 2025.
- The Request for “Favourable” Facts: In the recordings, a voice identified by Witness E as Mchunu can allegedly be heard telling the operative to “shape” his account regarding the 2017 assassination of Sindiso Magaqa.
- Discrediting the Task Team: The witness alleged that Mchunu specifically pressured him to testify that the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) was “incompetent” and should not be credited with the arrest and conviction of Magaqa’s killers.
- The “Lying” Allegation: Witness E told the commission: “He wanted me to say things I knew were not true. He was trying to coach me to discredit the investigations so it would justify why he later ordered the disbandment of the task team.”
Persistent Harassment
The operative, who was undercover in a cash-in-transit and political killings project at the time of Magaqa’s death, described a pattern of persistent contact from the Minister.
- Escalating Pressure: Witness E testified that once the Madlanga Commission was formally established by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the frequency of Mchunu’s calls “skyrocketed.”
- Fear for Safety: The operative stated that the pressure became so intense that he considered blocking the Minister’s number and eventually sought protection from the Commission’s evidence leaders.
Connection to the Magaqa Cover-Up
Witness E’s testimony earlier in the day also touched on a massive alleged cover-up regarding the death of former ANCYL Secretary-General Sindiso Magaqa.
- Advanced Warning: The operative claimed he informed his superiors and later Mchunu about the hit on Magaqa two months before it happened, providing names of senior government officials involved.
- Inaction: He alleged that despite providing a “road map” to save Magaqa’s life, the police leadership and the executive chose not to act, allowing the assassination to proceed.
A Fatal Blow to Mchunu’s Defense?
Senzo Mchunu, who is currently on special leave, has consistently denied any wrongdoing, framing his decisions—including the controversial 31 December 2024 order to disband the PKTT—as “administrative reviews” aimed at cleaning up the SAPS.
However, the introduction of audio evidence suggesting direct witness coercion marks a “point of no return” for the inquiry.
“If these recordings are verified, we are no longer talking about administrative overreach,” a senior legal analyst noted. “We are talking about a Minister of Police actively attempting to subvert a Judicial Commission of Inquiry.”
What Happens Next?
The Commission, chaired by Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, has adjourned briefly to allow the audio evidence to be formally transcribed and for Mchunu’s legal team to prepare their response. The recordings are expected to be played in a more open session later this week, pending security clearances for Witness E.
Source Credit: Based on reporting by IOL News, EWN, and Daily Maverick.
