The purpose of any commission of inquiry is to uncover the truth, identify institutional failures and recommend measures to prevent similar events from happening again. If that is indeed the objective of the Madlanga commission, then an important question must be asked: should Thabo Bester be invited to testify? The answers to these questions concern the integrity of our correctional system, not just the conduct of one inmate. However, like any witness, his evidence would need to be tested against documents, forensic evidence and the testimony of others. But refusing to hear from someone who may possess critical information could leave important questions unanswered.