Overview
- The commission, which confirmed Wednesday that it received the Gardee family's submission, says it will test the request against its mandate before deciding on witnesses.
- Family lawyers asked the inquiry to summon Manamela under oath and call senior officers she named, and they want the full docket, forensic reports, and DNA chain‑of‑custody records produced.
- The family also petitioned President Cyril Ramaphosa to expand the inquiry’s scope so investigators can examine the new claims without time limits, and they have opened a criminal case alleging obstruction of justice.
- Manamela alleged a captured policing system that manipulated cases, including claims that a major general contacted suspect Rassie Nkuna while he was on the run and that blood samples were mishandled.
- Hillary Gardee vanished in late April 2022 and was found dead days later near Mbombela, charges against suspects were provisionally withdrawn in April 2023 after a key witness disappeared, and police have since charged Nkuna with murder and related crimes.