Another Commission? Mr President, Did You Forget Zondo?
Image: GCIS
On Sunday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of yet another commission — this time to investigate the failings of law enforcement agencies. But South Africans have every right to ask: Did no one in the Union Buildings remind him that we already spent over R2 billion on the Zondo Commission to uncover exactly this?
Zondo Already Warned Us
The Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, chaired by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, spent nearly four years documenting how corruption hollowed out our public institutions — and how law enforcement and intelligence agencies were deliberately weakened to enable it.
Zondo's report didn't simply expose corruption. It laid bare how SAPS, the NPA, and the State Security Agency (SSA) were systematically captured to protect looters and punish whistleblowers. This wasn't just administrative failure — it was strategic sabotage.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Clear Recommendations Were Already Made
Zondo made detailed, practical, and urgent recommendations: Reform and strengthen law enforcement and intelligence services
End political interference in senior appointments
Restore independence and credibility to oversight institutions
Prosecute those implicated in state capture
These recommendations weren't vague. They were actionable. And yet, they have largely been ignored.
Why Are We Paying for Déjà Vu?
Instead of implementing the Zondo Commission's findings, government has chosen repetition over reform. What is this new commission going to tell us that Zondo didn't already reveal?
We don't need more talk. We need consequences. We need a functioning justice system that doesn't bend to political power. We need prosecutions that don't take ten years. We need a President who acts — not one who commissions.
Commissions Are Not Accountability
Let's be clear: real reform means acting on what we already know. Real accountability means putting the corrupt behind bars — not creating more platforms for media statements and photo ops. South Africans are exhausted by inquiry fatigue. We want results. We want justice.
Start with Accountability at the Top
If the President truly wants to restore public trust, perhaps he should begin by putting his own Minister of Justice and senior advisors on special leave — for failing to implement Zondo's recommendations, and for failing to warn him that this new commission is a political embarrassment.
Accountability doesn't begin with a new commission. It begins with consequences.
Tahir Maepa writes with over R2 billion spent on the Zondo Commission already, many South Africans are left questioning the need for yet another inquiry.
Image: Supplied / Tahir Maepa
* Tahir Maepa, Secretary General – Public Service and Commercial Union of South Africa (PSCU), Founder – Resistance Against Impunity Movement (RAIM) NPC.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
11 minutes ago
- IOL News
Making SA's national dialogue truly inclusive: A Mandela Day blueprint for unity and progress
Dr Nik Eberl is the Founder & Executive Chair: The Future of Jobs Summit™ (Official T20 Side Event) .He will be writing a regular column in Business Report. Image: Supplied When President Cyril Ramaphosa launched South Africa's National Dialogue last week, it reignited a powerful hope - that our fractured nation could come together, once again, to chart a shared path forward. The timing could not be more fitting. As we celebrate Mandela Day, we are reminded of Madiba's unwavering belief that dialogue is the most powerful tool we have to resolve our deepest differences and build a society grounded in dignity, justice, and unity. But to succeed, this dialogue must do more than gather leaders behind closed doors. It must be fully inclusive, reaching every corner of our country and every voice of our society. That's not just a political imperative - it's a moral one. From Soccer to Solidarity: The Lessons of 2010 We've seen before what unity can look like in South Africa. When we hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, it wasn't just a sporting event—it was a national movement. I had the privilege of serving as the Head of the Brand Ambassador Program, where tens of thousands of ordinary South Africans became storytellers, hosts, and leaders. Townships, rural villages, corporates, and taxi ranks all felt the electricity of shared purpose. That success wasn't accidental. It was built on inclusive planning, local ownership, relentless communication, and a vision that made every citizen feel like a stakeholder. If we want this dialogue to leave a legacy like 2010 did, it must follow the same blueprint - but with deeper intent. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Begin with a People's Charter for Dialogue As Mandela did with the Codesa talks, we must ground the process in a clear and public mandate. A National Dialogue Charter should be co-created with representatives from all sectors - civil society, business, labour, youth, academia, traditional leaders, and opposition parties. It must outline the dialogue's purpose, scope, structure, and principles - including equity, transparency, and citizen ownership. Let the public comment. Let them shape it. Mandela taught us that process shapes outcome. If we begin with inclusion, we end with legitimacy. Representation Is Not Enough - We Need Participation Inclusion isn't just who sits at the table. It's who helps set the table. To honour Mandela's commitment to grassroots democracy, we must ensure representation from: Youth, through dedicated tracks and forums that centre their future. Women, as equal decision-makers across all levels. Townships and rural communities, through locally hosted forums in community halls, churches, and schools. Labour and informal workers, through platforms linked to Nedlac. Disabled citizens, by investing in accessible venues, interpretation, and transportation. Immigrants, refugees, and ethnic minorities, whose voices are often silenced but whose futures are tied to ours. In 2010, we went out to the people. We brought the event into their spaces. The dialogue must do the same. Multiple Entry Points for a United Conversation Not everyone can attend a summit in Pretoria. But everyone can participate and play a role. The dialogue should follow a three-tiered structure: Community Listening Circles, gathering local concerns and aspirations. Provincial Dialogues, to synthesise and elevate key issues. The National Summit, where diverse voices deliberate and ratify the People's Agenda. Digital engagement must play a core role - using WhatsApp, SMS, and radio call-ins to capture rural and urban insights alike. The 2010 model of Fan Fests and mobile activations can inspire a National Dialogue Roadshow - bringing the conversation to taxi ranks, campuses, and marketplaces. Independent Oversight for Real Accountability Mandela never feared being held accountable - he welcomed it. The dialogue must follow that example. We need a Public Inclusion Council, independently appointed, to: Audit demographic and geographic representation, Ensure fair access, And publish monthly Inclusion Scorecards. This is not window dressing. It is trust-building infrastructure. And without it, the process risks becoming an elite ivory tower. Let Citizens Influence the Outcome The greatest danger is that this becomes another talk shop. Mandela warned us many a time of dialogue without delivery. That is why the dialogue must lead to action: Adopt a Participatory Consensus Model, advancing ideas with broad, cross-sector support. Implement the Top 10 Public Recommendations within government and business reform agendas. Use Citizens' Assemblies to resolve difficult policy impasses. Much like the infrastructure, training, and tourism strategies left behind in 2010, this dialogue must leave a visible legacy - of laws changed, lives improved, and promises kept. Use Culture and Storytelling to Build Unity Mandela knew the power of storytelling to heal and inspire. So must we. Let this dialogue come alive through art, music, murals, and oral history. Partner with poets, singers, and media producers to make the process tangible and moving. In 2010, the vuvuzela became a national symbol. In 2025, let it be the voice of the people themselves. Conclusion: A Mandela Day Challenge As we reflect on Mandela's life today, we remember not only his words, but his method: 'It is never my custom to use words lightly. If twenty-seven years in prison have done anything to us, it was to use the silence of solitude to make us understand how precious words are and how real dialogue is.' This National Dialogue is our opportunity to listen again. To each other. To our past. To our possible future. Let us honour Madiba's legacy - not with commemorations alone, but by designing a process that restores dignity, inspires unity, and delivers justice. The time for real, inclusive, courageous dialogue is now. Dr Nik Eberl is the Founder & Executive Chair: The Future of Jobs Summit™ (Official T20 Side Event) and author of Nation of Champions: How South Africa won the World Cup of Destination Branding *** The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Independent Media or IOL BUSINESS REPORT
IOL News
41 minutes ago
- IOL News
Violent crime escalates: Another mass shooting in Cape Town
Three people were gunned down on Thursday. Image: File Another mass shooting has taken place in Cape Town, claiming the lives of three people. The incident took place in Harare, Khayelitsha, on Thursday evening. This is the fourth mass shooting in Cape Town in less than a week. Western Cape police spokesperson, Colonel Andrè Traut, said the victims were aged 29, 30, and 43. Traut said detectives attached to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit are pursuing leads that could assist in identifying and locating the suspects responsible for the triple murder. 'At approximately 10pm, SAPS members were alerted to the scene in Ntlazane Road, where the bodies of the victims were discovered with multiple gunshot wounds. The motive for the attack is yet to be determined, and all investigative avenues are being explored to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident,' Traut said. Police have urged anyone with information that could assist with the investigation to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or to submit information via the MySAPS mobile application. All information will be treated with the strictest confidentiality, and callers may remain anonymous. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ On Wednesday, three people were gunned down in Gugulethu. Police said the shooting incident took place at about 11pm. 'Upon arrival at the scene, officers discovered the bodies of three men with gunshot wounds in a bedroom. Two other male victims had also sustained gunshot wounds and were already transported to a medical facility for treatment,' Traut said. Preliminary information indicates that four armed suspects entered the premises and opened fire on the victims before fleeing the scene. Several cellphones and a firearm belonging to one of the victims were reported stolen. 'All five victims are believed to be in their thirties. The motive for the attack is still under investigation,' Traut added. On Tuesday, in Better Life, Philippi East, a six-year-old boy was killed and two others were wounded. The two older victims were taken to the hospital for treatment, while the child died at the scene. On Friday, July 11, police responded to a mass shooting in Bishop Lavis. The shooting took place in Reënberg Street at about 7.15pm where four people, aged between 27 and 80 years old were gunned down. The victims were two men and two women. Police said its preliminary information revealed that two unknown gunmen who fled from the scene in a VW Polo, accosted the four in a bedroom, opened fire, and fatally shot the deceased, who all succumbed on scene to the injuries they sustained in their upper bodies. IOL
IOL News
41 minutes ago
- IOL News
Why Mandela Day matters today
The world is gearing to celebrate global icon Nelson Mandela's birthday under the theme 'It's still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity". Image: AFP MANDELA Day presents yet another opportunity to further embed the beautiful attributes of what it means to be South African through our actions based on an everlasting commitment to dignity and respect for our common humanity. This is according to Save our Sacred Lands convenor, Tauriq Jenkins as the world joins South Africans in celebrating the global icon's birthday on Friday. The day comes at a time when South Africans are confronted with challenges of youth unemployment, the rising cost of living and alarming inequalities. Alleged corruption in the police service, including claims linking Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to a criminal syndicate have shaken the country, raising concerns about safety and the rule of law. This year's Mandela Day celebration takes place under the theme: 'It's still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity'. In his Budget Vote Speech in Parliament this week, President Cyril Ramaphosa said: 'Madiba helped us see that we can achieve progress by staying true to the vision of a better, more equal society and by working together to make that vision a reality. Today, the world faces real and significant challenges. So do we as a country. We face an increasingly volatile world, with disruptions to global trade and deepening conflicts causing reverberations across the globe. 'We face high levels of unemployment and economic growth that is too low to create jobs and reduce poverty. We face the corrosive effects of corruption and pervasive crime, to which the poorest are most vulnerable. We face the daunting task of building a state that is capable of tackling these challenges and restoring the trust of the people.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The 'spirit of Madiba' is as much to do with action as is with consciousness, according to Jenkins. 'Without action towards ending oppression, it becomes a cheap political talking point by entities that wish to commodify the pain of liberation and resistance while simultaneously ignoring the realities on the ground. It should not be a day of false nostalgia but an opportunity to further embed the beautiful attributes of what it means to be South African through our actions based on an everlasting commitment to dignity and respect for our common humanity. 'In a world where freedoms and rights are diminishing, where fascist regimes are increasing and tyranny is given free reign, where international law is on the brink of collapse, it's vital that we as South Africans re-commit to staunchly safeguarding our civic and civil society space, as well as insist that the entities meant to protect our human rights and collective access to the constitution are protected and given life,' said Jenkins. Stellenbosch University Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel Professor Nico Koopman believes South Africa needs to have days like Mandela Day because 'human beings are forgetful ones'. 'We need to be reminded. We need to remember examples and enablers like Madiba. Madiba's exemplary living should not be viewed as a morality of elitism. What he did, is what we should strive for. It is achievable for all of us. Moreover, we should remember that he was not perfect. So, we should also not idolise Madiba. He was human like us. We hunger for Madiba's civil courage to stand up against wrongs; to stand up for what is right. In a society and broader world of so much alienation and enmity, violence and war, we should remember his courageous strive for unity, his participation in the quest for a life of dignity for all.' He said there was not enough of this courage and boldness for togetherness, amidst diversity and amidst so many reasons for division, separation and conflict. 'Only together can we locally and globally overcome our manifold challenges and concerns, crises and cries,' said Koopman. UCT's Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance student Smangaliso Mbili sees Mandela Day as a chance to reset. 'While there's no doubt that South Africa faces wicked challenges, from deepening inequality to fractured systems, the spirit of Mandela Day reminds us that the work of justice lives not only in grand reforms, but in how we show up, day by day. 'As a Mandela Rhodes Scholar, one of the most enduring lessons from my year in residence was around reconciliation, the dance of navigating complexity, of holding both the light and the shadow. So wherever you find yourself today, at home, at work, in a taxi, or at a school gate let this be your invitation: Start where you are. Use what you have. Serve who you can,' Mbili said. Cape Times
