The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry hears Witness G’s testimony behind closed doors.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry resolved on Wednesday to hear the testimony of a crime intelligence officer known as Witness G behind closed doors for safety reasons.
This makes the witness the second person since the commission started 100 days ago to testify fully in-camera.
The commission’s proceedings got off to a slow start on Wednesday morning after a 30-minute delay due to technical issues.
When the hearing finally resumed the witness expressed concern about reading her statement into the record, saying it would disclose information that would reveal her identity
She also opted to withhold the names of people she dealt with, saying their disclosure would identify her.
Evidence leader Advocate Matthew Chaskalson SC expressed concern regarding the witness’s stance, saying it would make it difficult to question her later about her relationship with those individuals.
He asked the commission to decide whether the hearing should be held completely in-camera or remain partially in-camera, with only audio streamed to the public.
The commission's initial arrangement was informed by Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga's April 24, 2026 order that the witness would appear remotely, off camera but audible to the public.
Speaking to journalists, commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels said it became clear during the morning session that continuing in the current format was impractical.
Under the arrangement, commissioners worked remotely and were not present in the auditorium at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria.
"It was a matter of practicalities. It was simply impractical given the technical issues related to this witness’s testimony to have the commissioners in the auditorium here.
"The intention was to hear part of Witness G’s testimony off camera but in public in the sense that the witness' voice would have been heard and therefore the testimony. But then to move fully in camera as in no public airing of the testimony and back and forth. And so there was that public consideration and for that reason it was impractical for them to sit and have the hearing here in the auditorium," Michaels said.
The witness's lawyer Tshepo Matlala said during last month's application for in-camera testimony that people likely to be mentioned by the witness may have their safety at risk as well.
“What makes it even more risky is that individuals who are socially incidental to the witness could be seen as informers,” he said.
Michaels the commission will later decide whether to release a redacted version of the witness’s testimony.
The witness is believed to be an alleged political fixer and the handler for North West businessman Brown Mogotsi. Mogotsi testified that he operated under the witness as a contact agent.
The commission will now test whether the witness’s evidence backs Mogotsi’s account.
Last week, Mogotsi briefly appeared before the commission and filed an application to recuse Chaskalson from leading his evidence.
In November last year Mogotsi testified at the commission that KwaZulu-Natal SAPS Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and King Misizulu KaZwelithini were agents for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
However, Mogotsi retracted the claims about Mkhwanazi and KaZwelithini during his recent appearance at the Ad Hoc Committee in Parliament.
Mogotsi told the commission that he learned about the December 31 letter penned by suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to disband the Political Killings Task Team through social media, not via any connection to Mchunu.
Witness G was initially scheduled to testify for one or two days, but the delay might lengthen the testimony, according to Michaels.
"We will see how it unfolds for the rest of today. I am sure that by the end of today we will have a sense and we will communicate," he said.
He added that, notwithstanding the commission’s commitment to transparency, its terms of reference allow for full in-camera hearings.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za