It was all meant to get under way in Pretoria in the new week, but the Madlanga inquiry has been delayed, seemingly due to factors out of its control. We’ve since heard from Minister Mmamaloko Kubayi that she’s suspended her department’s director-general, advocate Doc Mashabane, and his deputy, Jabu Hlatshwayo, for failing to ensure the commission had adequate information and communication technology infrastructure set up in time. This inquiry, chaired by the now-retired acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, has already indicated it’s been in contact with one of its chief witnesses, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. He publicly alleged that the heart of the South African Police Service has been captured by politically connected criminal figures. The Lead picked out the best bits of an expert panel discussing the delays with star specialist legal journalist Karyn Maughan, political analyst, media columnist and fellow author Mpumelelo Mkhabela, as well as renowned criminologist and political scientist, currently based at Stellenbosch University, Dr Guy Lamb. The panel agrees: the delayed inquiry must begin soonest to help restore Mzansi’s trust in law enforcement. Finally, we end with ‘On This Day in History’.