Opinion | Don’t let race hijack the Madlanga Commission

outh Africa has seen this pattern before. Whenever a major public scandal unfolds, it is not long before the conversation drifts from facts to identity, from accountability to race. The danger is that once this happens, the pursuit of truth becomes clouded by prejudice, and institutions that should unite the country instead become battlegrounds for racial suspicion.

That is why the racial undertones beginning to surround the Madlanga Commission should concern every South African. Recent claims by some commentators and sections of society that an “Indian faction” sought to influence the work of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) represent a troubling departure from the principles upon which our constitutional democracy is built. Whether these assertions arise from political rhetoric, public frustration or genuine suspicion, they should be treated with extreme caution.

They risk transforming a legitimate investigation into institutional conduct into an exercise in collective blame. SA cannot afford that mistake. The purpose of the commission is not to determine the guilt or innocence of a racial community.

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It is to establish facts, assess evidence and determine whether individuals or institutions acted unlawfully or unethically. If wrongdoing occurred, those responsible should face the law. That is how constitutional democracies function.

The incompetence and apparent disregard for the rule of law that may have characterised aspects of Idac’s work cannot be explained by race. Institutional failures are not inherited through ethnicity. They stem from poor leadership, weak governance, inadequate oversight and the decisions of individuals entrusted with public responsibility.

Corruption has infiltrated institutions led by people from every community in SA. To suggest otherwise ignores decades of painful experiences and oversimplifies one of the country’s most persistent governance challenges. There is also a deeper danger in allowing racial narratives to take root.

Once an entire community is associated with allegations against a few individuals, innocent citizens become collateral damage. Families, professionals, entrepreneurs and public servants who have no connection to the allegations find themselves viewed through the lens of suspicion simply because they share a surname, ancestry or background. That is not justice or fair.

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