An agreement reached between legal representatives at the Madlanga Commission and media houses that allows Lieutenant-Colonel Duma, formerly known as Witness I, to testify via audio link while shielding his identity from public view marks a significant victory for press freedom and open justice.

On Monday, 1 June 2026, policing commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga ruled that Lieutenant-Colonel Duma's name may be published for the duration of his testimony, while measures remain in place to protect his identity as an undercover Crime Intelligence operative.

The ruling came after Daily Maverick and Media24 opposed an application for Duma's testimony to be heard fully in camera, meaning that no aspect of his testimony would have been released.

Duma is now scheduled to take the stand on Tuesday, 2 June 2026, and his testimony is expected to be central to the saga surrounding the theft of cocaine worth R200-million from a Hawks property in KwaZulu-Natal, which has become one of the commission's most closely watched matters.

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

Read more 'Embarrassing' R200m cocaine theft was eighth break-in at Hawks building, cop tells commission May 6, 2026 Reading the agreement between the media companies and the commission's evidence leaders into the record, Madlanga said: "While the arrangement sought to balance concerns for the witness' safety and privacy, it also ensured that journalists and the public retained access to evidence being presented before a commission tasked with probing allegations of criminality, corruption and political interference within the criminal...