Andy Mashaile: Assassin’s arrest - accountability awaits officials & politicians

With the arrest of the first suspect in the murder of Witness D, Security Strategist Andy Mashaile talks to Chris Steyn about the likely consequences facing both officials and politicians when the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee hearings conclude with reccommendations. “..there will be prosecutions - and I am confident with this arrest that the Special Investigations Task Team has started…the momentum is rolling.” Mashaile details the urgent institutional reforms that should be introduced to address the systemic weaknesses in policing and prosecution, and states what is expected of the government in the next six months: “The people of this country are sick and tired of commissions and reports. The people of this country actually want to see arrests and accountability as well as convictions..” Mashaile hails the establishment of the Special Investigation Task Team - “...it is important that we send out a message, as South Africa, to organised crime networks that says we have teams that can come after you” - and believes the task team’s arrest of the alleged killer of Witness D could signal a turning point in the protection of whistleblowers in South Africa..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox every morning on weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa's bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..Watch here:.Listen here:.Edited transcript of the interview.Chris Steyn (00:01.25)With the arrest of the first suspect in the murder of Witness D, the question now is who all will face consequences after the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee hearings. With me is Security Strategist Mr. Andy Mashaile. Welcome Sir. Andy (00:25.147)Good morning to you. Good morning to you, Chrissy and the production team. Chris Steyn (00:34.062)Thank you, Sir. Do you believe that there will be prosecutions and disciplinary action emerging from the recommendations of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and Ad Hoc Committee? Or do you think that those recommendations will suffer the same fate as those from previous inquiries? Andy (01:01.549)Chrissy, post the Madanga Commission and the Ad Hoc Committee, South Africans want to know who will be held accountable and they would want to have an implementation plan. So I believe, Chrissy, that someone will be held accountable. Remember the complainant complained on the 6th of July, 2025. So the complainant would want to know, obviously on our behalf, who is being held accountable for what. So there will be prosecutions and I am confident with this arrest that the Special Investigations Task Team has started and the momentum is rolling. We are hoping that with today's appearance in court of the suspect, we will be able to know who are the masters, who sent the men and why. Chris Steyn (02:17.134)Do you think consequence management should extend beyond the officials implicated to include politicians who presided over these failures identified by the Commission? Andy (02:33.813)Definitely, Chrissy, definitely. Beyond the officials, there is the executive. And those in the executive, for argument's sake, those in the executive in a private company would be backstopping with the board of that organisation. Even in this instance, they should be serious holding accountability for politicians who are involved and the executive authority that is involved, particularly as you and I have seen the allegations that suggest that the minister interfered where he was not supposed to interfere. And now that minister is on suspension, meaning the first phase of accountability starts off with the suspension of the minister, whether you want to call it special leave, it amounts to nothing else but suspension from your current political responsibility as the minister in policy. Yes. People should be held accountable beyond the officials. Chris Steyn (04:02.253)Do you think that the arrest of the alleged killer of Witness D signals a turning point in the protection of whistleblowers in South Africa? Andy (04:13.309)Definitely, Chrissy, this is a turning point. I am impressed with a quick turnaround in terms of the investigations and arrest. Those whistleblowers who might still be in the woodwork, who wouldn't want to come out because they are not certain that should anything happen to them, the killers would be arrested. I am sure this message that the SITT has sent to those would-be whistleblowers suggest one that should anything happen to any whistleblower, they'll arrest the killers. Two, this sends a stern warning message to those who would want to kill whistleblowers because they are now aware that they will be unearthed from wherever they can bury themselves like this suspect that has been arrested. Chris Steyn (05:14.881)The killing of Witness D highlighted the vulnerability of those who try to assist law enforcement. What urgent reforms are needed to strengthen the witness protection system, sir? Andy (05:29.831)Chris, we can do better… particularly our law enforcement agencies or those agencies that are tasked with protecting witness blowers. …the witness protection programme needs to be jacked up. We need resources once again thrown in on the programme, and also ensuring that security to the body, personal security to the whistleblower is guaranteed and does not only last for the duration whilst the whistleblower is testifying. It should go beyond the ordinary three months or the ordinary six months, so that people can feel safe that when they have provided the State with information that leads to prosecution and conviction of an alleged criminal or a suspect; their lives are going to be safe and secure and nothing drastic will happen three months or six months later after they have provided that information. …we must really ensure that the families of the witness and the witness who's on a protection programme get the best of protection themselves so that there shouldn't be any doubt in the mind of the witness on the protection programme to such an extent that he or she doesn't turn around and say: Even if you can lock me up, I am not continuing with providing evidence in this matter or in this case. Chris Steyn (07:31.319)With the commission exposing systemic weaknesses in policing and prosecution, what urgent institutional reforms should be introduced immediately, sir? Andy (07:44.996)Law enforcement, one has to do that, has to ensure that in their investigations of any crime or in the prevention of fighting or detection of any crime, intelligence is properly coordinated - and a properly coordinated intelligence structure or component will help us with regard to identifying internally the most… internally those who are rogue, who provide criminals with information or with intelligence. For an example, Chrissy, the collapse of any system does not happen from externally in most instances like in law enforcement. The internal...staff members, internal rogue police officers, would provide criminals with information that will either help them to flee the country or to remove the contraband in the event of any rape. So we have a responsibility to…ensure that all those who are going on an operation have the necessary security clearance ot vetting. I am aware that security clearance will take quite a long time, but those who belong on, for instance, this newly established team, they should have been vetted and they should have high security clearance so that you know that you are working with people that you can trust, someone who's not going to out there and tip off Andy and Chrissy so that Andy and Chrissy can make a beeline to the nearest bush. And when the police arrive, there is no contraband and there's no Andy. So we would need, from an institutional reform point of view, need to ensure that those who participate in these high level operations have the necessary clearance to… Andy (10:06.645)We also need to look at the regulations as well as operating, standard operating procedures that police would normally follow in the event of going out there to gather intelligence to do what they do best in terms of detection and in terms of combating crime. And also in terms of preventing crime when they do visible policing? What methodology would best help you to do high impact visible policing? Driving around in a van, is it high impact in terms of displacing crime and in terms of instilling fear in the minds of the criminals, hijackers, those who peddle drugs? How best can we ensure that your policing strategy informs a proper reformed and operating police enforcement agents?.Read more:.BNC#8: Hersov on Trump resetting the world order, China and the ANC’s “strategic blunder”.Chris Steyn (11:25.165)So do you think that the establishment of a Special Investigation Task Team sends a clear signal that the State is finally beginning to get the upper hand over organised crime networks? Andy (11:39.934)Chris, the establishment of the SITT is very important. It's saying we are now taking control. It's saying we are sick and tired. I can't use that Afrikaans expression that are like, one says now G…l of the way and manner in which you've been conducting yourself recklessly and criminally within our space within our country. So, yes, it is important that we send out a message as South Africa to organised crime networks that says we have teams that can come after you. For example, we have a team that we have set up and it has arrested a suspect that killed one or allegedly killed one of the whistleblowers and as well as a witness in a judicial commission. So the message is clear and we are now taking control even in the minds and in the eyes. Today is the appearance of that suspect and it has not spread out through our communities but in the next few days what comes out of that court case will definitely be exciting both to us as South Africans as well as what is going on in the Madlanga Commission. Chris Steyn (13:12.397)Do you know if there is a clear timeline for the implementation of recommendations coming out of the Madanga Commission and Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee? Andy (15:49.74)I don't know if I haven't seen a programme of action that follows post-Madlanga and the Ad Hoc Committee. I am definitely certain that with regard to the report that's going to be submitted to the President on the 29th of May as well as the 31st of August, which would be the last report. Out of those two reports, there will be a programme of action that unfolds with regard to what the President wants to achieve as far as the allegations deposited into our space by Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi. But I can foresee, I can foresee or I can see in the distant future that there will be arrests as an example of an example in this context will be the arrest of the suspected killer of Witness D. So I am certain that flowing out of a number of the recommendations that Madlanga will give to President Ramaphosa, a programme of action will be determined, as well as the final report of the 29th of August. The president will then be able to say, here is a holistic report. This is what I have picked up given the allegations of General Mkhwanazi. And therefore, I know that one particular person A is not fit to be a member of the Cabinet or particular person B is not fit to lead the police or particular person C is not fit to be in the Ekurhulenii Municipal Police Department. So I am sure that programme will unfold as and when the arrests are coming. Remember, Chrissy, some have been suspended. So already the implementation programme of action has already started unfolding, which will be made a little bit much more serious by what happens when the report has been finalised. Chris Steyn (18:15.232)So what would you like to see the government do within the next six months to demonstrate clearly that accountability will now finally be enforced? Andy (18:29.056)The government through its law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system must arrest people, must prosecute people, the judiciary must convict where there should be convictions, and we must see people being incarcerated. The people of this country are sick and tired of commissions and reports. The people of this country actually want to see arrests and accountability as well as convictions where it is necessary for them to revive self-confidence in the police. The confidence within themselves can only be revived when you see action that has been taken to ensure that people are arrested. Chris Steyn (19:27.276)Thank you. That was Security Strategist Mr. Andy Mashaile speaking to BizNews. I'm Chris Steyn. Thank you, Sir.

Andy Mashaile: Assassin’s arrest - accountability awaits officials & politicians

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