South Africa's criminal justice system has faced increasing scrutiny due to allegations of political interference, organised crime infiltration, corruption, and weakened accountability mechanisms. The establishment of the Madlanga Commission in 2025 marked a significant governance intervention aimed at investigating allegations of criminality, political influence, and corruption within key criminal justice institutions. Despite the importance of the Commission, limited scholarly attention has been given to its implications for criminal justice governance, institutional accountability, and democratic governance in South Africa. The central problem addressed in this study is the growing concern that political interference, organised crime infiltration, and corruption have undermined the effectiveness, independence, and credibility of South Africa's criminal justice institutions, thereby threatening the rule of law and public trust. The purpose of this study was to critically examine the role, significance, and potential impact of the Madlanga Commission in addressing governance failures within South Africa's criminal justice system. The study sought to explore the extent to which the Commission can contribute to strengthening accountability, institutional integrity, transparency, and democratic governance. A qualitative systematic literature review approach was adopted. Data were collected through the analysis of academic literature, government reports, official commission documents, policy papers, governance reports, and relevant secondary sources relating to corruption, organised crime, political interference, accountability, and criminal justice reform. The study was guided by Institutional Theory, Good Governance Theory, and Accountability Theory, which provided a framework for analysing governance failures and institutional vulnerabilities within criminal justice institutions.The findings revealed that political interference, organised crime infiltration, weak oversight structures, and corruption constitute significant threats to the effectiveness and legitimacy of South Africa's criminal justice system. The study further found that accountability failures and institutional weaknesses create opportunities for criminal influence and governance failures. Evidence suggests that the Madlanga Commission serves as an important accountability mechanism capable of exposing institutional vulnerabilities, promoting transparency, and recommending reforms aimed at strengthening criminal justice governance. However, the study found that the long-term effectiveness of the Commission will largely depend on the implementation of its recommendations and the commitment of relevant stakeholders to institutional reform. The study concludes that the Madlanga Commission represents a critical opportunity to strengthen the rule of law, restore public trust, and enhance institutional accountability within South Africa's criminal justice system. Effective implementation of the Commission's recommendations could contribute significantly to combating corruption, preventing political interference, improving governance, and promoting institutional resilience. The study recommends strengthened oversight mechanisms, enhanced anti-corruption measures, greater institutional independence, and comprehensive criminal justice reforms to safeguard democratic governance and constitutional accountability.