Source: Middle Nation

Middle Nation Regions Briefing: South Africa | Madlanga Commission

23 October 2025

In this episode of Middle Nation Regions Briefing, Shahid Bolsen sits down with Nisa Bardien, Middle Nation’s Lead for the African region, to unpack one of South Africa’s most consequential inquiries — the Madlanga Commission. The discussion explores how the commission exposes deep corruption and criminal infiltration within South Africa’s justice system — from the police and intelligence services to the National Prosecuting Authority. Together, they examine how this internal decay reflects wider patterns of neocolonial manipulation, economic exploitation, and Western influence designed to keep the Global South in disorder.

Bolsen and Bardien question whether the Commission represents genuine reform or political theater, highlighting how corruption in South Africa’s power structures mirrors broader global hierarchies — where financial elites and foreign actors shape outcomes behind the scenes. Key topics include: The origins and mandate of the Madlanga Commission The “Big Five” network of officials tied to organized crime The political killings crisis and its social consequences Ramaphosa’s balancing act between public accountability and elite obedience The deeper question: who really benefits from a system that never cleans itself?

This conversation brings clarity to an issue most outsiders overlook — connecting South Africa’s internal corruption to global patterns of power and influence.