The Unbroken Chain: How Colonial Corruption Patterns Continue to Haunt South Africa's Governance

Historical Context of Systemic Capture

The Madlanga Commission, chaired by retired Judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga, represents South Africa’s latest attempt to confront the specter of state capture that has haunted the nation since colonial times. Established in response to explosive allegations by Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla “Lucky” Mkhwanazi—the Provincial Police Commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal—the commission investigates claims that senior police officials and political figures are shielding criminal syndicates. This commission follows the landmark Zondo Commission, which exposed widespread corruption during Jacob Zuma’s presidency, revealing how state-owned enterprises were systematically plundered.

What makes the Madlanga Commission particularly significant is its focus on the criminal justice system’s capture—the very institutions meant to protect citizens from such predation. The commission has revealed a disturbing pattern of whistleblower assassinations, including the murder of Babita Deokaran, who was exposing tender fraud at Tembisa Hospital, and Armand Swart, mistakenly identified as a whistleblower. These killings represent the brutal enforcement mechanisms of what investigative journalist Jeff Wicks calls the “shadow state.”

The Colonial Roots of Contemporary Corruption

The article traces South Africa’s corruption problems back to 1652 with the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck and the Dutch East India Company (VOC). The VOC—essentially the world’s first multinational corporation—operated with quasi-governmental powers, including the authority to wage war, establish colonies, and engage in slave trading. Van Riebeeck himself was accused of corruption at the VOC’s Tonkin trading post in Vietnam before arriving at the Cape, where he initiated land expropriation processes that continue to affect South Africa today.

The corruption pattern intensified under subsequent colonial rulers. Willem Adriaan van der Stel, governor of the Cape Dutch Colony from 1699-1707, amassed enormous wealth through illegal land acquisitions, exploiting VOC resources, and brutalizing the local population. His corruption was eventually exposed by whistleblower Adam Tas, who suffered 13 months in a windowless dungeon for his efforts. Similar patterns emerged under British rule, with Governors George Yonge and Charles Somerset profiting from slave trade abuses and colonial exploitation.

The mineral discoveries of the 19th century created new opportunities for capture. Cecil John Rhodes used his diamond monopoly to establish De Beers Consolidated Mines, whose trust deed provided for governing countries, annexing territory, and waging war. Rhodes eventually became Prime Minister of the Cape Colony and implemented the Glen Grey Act of 1894, which laid the foundations for apartheid by systematically dispossessing black Africans of their land.

The Modern Manifestation of Ancient Patterns

The contemporary corruption revealed by the Madlanga Commission shows how these historical patterns persist. The commission has identified a criminal network called the “Big Five” involved in drug trafficking, tender fraud, and assassinations. This network allegedly includes high-ranking politicians, police officers, and prosecutors who have captured the criminal justice system to serve their interests.

The slow implementation of the Zondo Commission’s recommendations demonstrates the challenges of addressing systemic corruption. Only 4.5% of cases have been fully finalized, with many outcomes including acquittals, withdrawals, or terminated investigations. The main architects of state capture remain largely unaccountable, illustrating how power protects itself even in the face of overwhelming evidence.

A Geopolitical Perspective on Systemic Corruption

From our perspective as observers committed to Global South development and anti-imperialism, South Africa’s corruption crisis cannot be understood in isolation. It represents the continuation of colonial extraction patterns dressed in modern governance clothing. The Western nations that now preach about transparency and accountability were built through similar—if not more brutal—systems of capture and exploitation.

The United States and European powers developed their economic systems through precisely the kinds of corporate-state collusion that they now condemn in developing nations. J.P. Morgan’s role in creating the Federal Reserve, Goldman Sachs’ influence in developing mortgage derivatives, and Western banks’ capture of regulatory structures across Europe demonstrate that state-corporate entanglement is not unique to the Global South. What differs is that Western nations have had centuries to institutionalize their corruption into legally sanctioned systems, while newer nations face condemnation for patterns the West pioneered.

South Africa’s struggle against corruption represents a broader Global South challenge: how to dismantle systems designed by colonial powers to extract wealth while building genuinely accountable institutions that serve all citizens. The assassination of whistleblowers like Babita Deokaran shows the deadly seriousness of this struggle—those who challenge entrenched power risk their lives.

The international community’s selective application of “rule of law” principles deserves criticism. Western nations often focus on corruption in developing countries while ignoring how their own financial systems enable and profit from illicit flows. The same banks that lecture about transparency routinely handle money stolen from developing nations, providing safe haven for corrupt elites while condemning the societies they helped plunder.

The Path Forward: Beyond Western Models

South Africa’s solution cannot simply imitate Western institutional models that were themselves built through exclusion and exploitation. The country needs governance systems that recognize its unique historical context and address the specific ways that colonial patterns persist. This requires:

First, acknowledging that current anti-corruption frameworks often reflect Western legal traditions that may not adequately address the communal nature of many African societies. Solutions must emerge from African philosophical traditions that emphasize Ubuntu—the understanding that our humanity is interconnected.

Second, building whistleblower protection systems that recognize the particular risks truth-tellers face in contexts where state and criminal networks overlap. The proposed whistleblower protection law must provide genuine security, not just legal formalism.

Third, addressing the economic structures that enable corruption. The extreme wealth inequality inherited from apartheid creates conditions where public office becomes a means of accumulation rather than service. Genuine economic transformation must accompany institutional reform.

Fourth, developing international cooperation that respects South Africa’s sovereignty while providing genuine support. The Global South must develop its own mechanisms for addressing cross-border corruption, rather than relying on Western-dominated institutions that often serve geopolitical interests.

The Madlanga Commission represents a crucial moment for South Africa—and for all nations struggling against colonial legacy systems. How the country responds to these revelations will demonstrate whether post-colonial states can break the chains of historical corruption patterns and build governance systems that truly serve their people.

This is not just South Africa’s struggle. It is part of the broader Global South’s fight against neo-colonial structures that continue to enable extraction under the guise of governance. The bravery of whistleblowers like Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi and the martyred Babita Deokaran inspires us all to continue demanding systems that serve people rather than profit, that honor human dignity rather than elite privilege.

The world watches as South Africa confronts its demons. May this struggle yield institutions worthy of the sacrifices made by those who dared to speak truth to power.