'Highly qualified' witness protection agency hired for Madlanga Commission witnesses

JOHANNESBURG - A “highly qualified” witness protection agency will be hired to safeguard witnesses appearing before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry probing interference in the criminal justice system.

This was revealed during a media briefing at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria on Monday afternoon, where the public hearings will begin next week.

It was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July, just days after KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, made explosive allegations of corruption and collusion within the criminal justice system.

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The judicial commission of inquiry into criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system claims to have taken lessons from the Zondo Commission into state capture when it comes to witness protection.

Speaking at a briefing in Pretoria this afternoon, commission spokesperson, Jeremy Michaels, stressed they have had to find ways around witness protection, given that the bodies responsible for it have been implicated in the allegations set out by KZN police boss, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi

We are innovating and we are not going to discuss those details in confirmed public forum, precisely because it deals with witness protection.

Chief evidence leader, Doctor Peter Goss, revealed they are procuring a company that specialises in witness protection as a service provider.

"When physical protection, as is known in more popular terms, is required with the witness coming to the commission, we are procuring a service provider; we are dealing with a highly qualified service provider."

The commission will commence with itspublic hearings next week, on Wednesday.