Public tired of costly inquiries, says Free SA

CIVIL society group Free SA has launched a sharp new public campaign challenging South Africans to ask a question that many have been whispering for years: Do we still trust commissions of inquiry?

The pointed campaign follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of a fresh commission of inquiry into allegations of corruption involving Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. Ironically, Free SA had itself called for such an inquiry — but now says its own members, and a recent survey, reveal a deep crisis of confidence in both the police and the state’s use of inquiries to tackle wrongdoing.

According to Free SA, only 22% of South Africans trust the South African Police Service. The organisation says this reflects a wider breakdown in faith across the justice system, and commissions of inquiry, once seen as vital democratic tools, are increasingly viewed as costly exercises that yield little real accountability.

“Our members feel strongly that commissions of inquiry have become elaborate theatre — lavishly funded performances with no closing act,” said Free SA spokesperson Reuben Coetzer. “South Africans are weary of watching inquiry after inquiry, only to see the implicated promoted, protected, or quietly forgotten.”

 While acknowledging that commissions of inquiry are constitutionally legitimate, Free SA argues that they have become political shields rather than genuine instruments of justice.

South Africa’s recent history offers ample evidence to fuel this scepticism. The Zondo Commission into State Capture, which cost taxpayers over R1 billion, exposed shocking corruption but has resulted in few high-level prosecutions. The Marikana Commission, set up after police killed 34 striking miners in 2012, produced a report but brought little real accountability for those who gave the orders.

“The credibility crisis is not just about one minister or one commission,” Coetzer said. “It’s about the erosion of democratic trust. We don’t need more commissions, we need action. We need prosecutions, resignations, recoveries of stolen funds, and above all, leadership that respects the intelligence of its people.”

Free SA’s campaign calls on the public to reject what it describes as the hollow symbolism of yet another inquiry. Instead, it demands immediate suspension of implicated officials, full transparency on the cost and impact of past commissions, and clear timelines for implementing their recommendations.

“This is about restoring dignity to democracy said Coetzer. “If no one is ever held to account, commissions become little more than cover-ups with footnotes. South Africans deserve better. We deserve a justice system that works, not one that acts.”

Free SA has urged citizens to join its call for meaningful accountability by adding their voices at www.freesa.org.za/public-participation-justice-for-all.