President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry’s term until 18 December 2026.
The Presidency on Thursday confirmed the lifespan of the inquiry was extended to allow the commission more time to complete its probe into alleged attempts to prevent the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes.
Extension
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson confirmed the extension was granted by the president after former Constitutional Court Justice Sisi Khampepe’s commission requested more time to complete its work.
“Having considered the Commission’s request as well as submissions opposing and supporting the extension, President Ramaphosa has given the Commission until 18 December 2026 to submit its final report.”
Khampepe Commission
Ramaphosa established and appointed Khampepe in May 2025 to chair a judicial commission of inquiry to determine whether attempts were made to prevent the investigation and prosecution of alleged political interference in Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) cases.
The establishment of the commission of inquiry is part of an agreement reached in settlement discussions in a court application brought by families of victims of apartheid-era crimes.
‘Interference’
On Tuesday, former head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, Dr Godfrey Lebeya, denied interfering with TRC cases during his term as Hawks head.
His testimony aimed to address long-standing criticisms regarding the slow progress and alleged suppression of apartheid-era crimes during his tenure (2018-2025).
“I have never received any questionable orders, nor have I given any such orders to stop or stall the investigation of any TRC-related cases.”
“The Directorate [Hawks] operates on a principle of professional integrity. At no point during my tenure was there an attempt by the executive to tell us which dockets to open or which to close,” Lebeya said.
Resources
Lebeya told the commission that he tried to mobilise resources to ensure that some of the cases were resolved quickly.
“Working closely with the National Director of Public Prosecution (NDPP), we increased the capacity of DPCI, as we were operating at 50% capacity, on cases classified under national offences against the state, as we had fewer than 3,000 personnel across nine provinces.”
Zuma and Mbeki
Last month, former president Jacob Zuma escalated his bid to remove Khampepe as chair of the TEC cases inquiry to the Constitutional Court.
Zuma filed an urgent application at the apex court, challenging a Gauteng High Court ruling that dismissed his attempt to have Khampepe recuse herself.
In March, a full bench of the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg rejected an application by Zuma and former president Thabo Mbeki seeking Khampepe’s removal.
Prosecutions
The two argued that her past judicial roles compromised her impartiality in presiding over the commission of inquiry into stalled prosecutions of apartheid‑era crimes identified in the TRC report.
In a ruling supported by Judge Selby Baqwa, acting Deputy Judge President Thifhelimbilu Mudau found that Zuma and Mbeki had failed to comply with section 47 of the Superior Courts Act, which requires litigants to obtain the Chief Justice’s permission before they are able to launch legal action against a judge.
