Kamogelo Moichela|Published
Madlanga Commission and two other inquiries are set to receive R516 million in additional government funding for 2026/27, as Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced R45.5 billion in extra spending.
This included money for crime-fighting operations, disaster relief and measures to ease pressure on households.
Godongwana announced the allocations during his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) speech on Wednesday, saying the funding would sustain the operations of the Madlanga, Khampepe and Nkabinde commissions of inquiry.
"R560 million for the Madlanga Commission, the Khampepe and Nkabinde Commission of Inquiry," he said.
The additional allocation comes as the Madlanga Commission hears testimony about alleged criminal networks and corruption within the criminal justice system.
Its proceedings have drawn national attention and been followed by arrests involving prominent police and municipal law enforcement figures.
Those arrested include former deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, suspended South African Police Service (SAPS) sergeant Fannie Nkosi and former Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi.
The allegations aired during the inquiry remain subject to due process, and arrests do not constitute proof of guilt.
Godongwana did not provide a breakdown of the R516 million allocation among the three commissions in his speech.
The funding forms part of a broader package intended to strengthen the state’s capacity to investigate and prosecute crime, recover proceeds of illegal activity and improve anti-corruption efforts.
Crime and corruption also place pressure on public finances, weaken governance and divert resources from essential services.
To finance the additional spending, the government identified savings from lower-priority programmes and administrative inefficiencies in national departments.
Other measures include reducing social grant fraud, tackling inefficiencies and rent-seeking in housing programmes, and drawing on surpluses held by public entities.
The additional funding will also support disaster relief and rehabilitation, as well as the deployment of soldiers to tackle gang violence and illegal mining.
Godongwana announced R6.2 billion for unforeseeable and unavoidable expenditure, largely for disaster relief and rehabilitation.
He also referred to a R1.9 billion rollover from the previous financial year, R4.3 billion for specified financing and expenditure, and R823 million for Operation Prosper, the military deployment targeting illegal mining.
In a further measure aimed at easing financial pressure, the minister announced a temporary reduction in fuel levies.
“To provide temporary relief, the fuel levy will be reduced by R3.00 per litre for diesel and R1.50 per litre for petrol,” he said.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
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