Overview
- The Presidency announced on Thursday, July 9 that President Cyril Ramaphosa approved a new timetable requiring the commission to finish hearing evidence by Friday, October 2 and to submit its final report by Monday, November 16, 2026.
- Officials said the extension responds to a growing backlog of witnesses and new lines of inquiry opened during hearings, which the commission says must be heard to avoid leaving large parts of its mandate unfinished.
- Interim reports already produced by the commission have prompted law‑enforcement action, including criminal referrals and the arrest this week of four Ekurhuleni officials linked to material that surfaced in hearings.
- Witness security remains a major problem for the inquiry after a witness, Marius van der Merwe, was killed following testimony in December 2025 and Major‑General Feroz Khan was shot in June 2026 before giving evidence.
- The extra time will shape possible criminal prosecutions, staffing or suspension actions and wider reforms to policing and justice oversight, and it has drawn criticism from opposition parties over transparency and repeated delays.