Madlanga Commission
By Karabo Marifi
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has revealed that President Cyril Ramaphosa was aware of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s order to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), but failed to intervene despite a direct plea from Masemola, leaving the matter in limbo and raising fresh concerns over political interference in South Africa’s law enforcement operations.
In a bombshell testimony that has sent shockwaves through South Africa’s political and security landscape, National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola laid bare the tensions at the heart of the country’s policing leadership during his appearance before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria. On Monday, 22 September 2025, Masemola disclosed under oath that he had personally appealed to President Cyril Ramaphosa to step in after Mchunu issued an instruction to dissolve the PKTT—a specialised unit tasked with probing politically motivated murders, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Despite this, Masemola received no feedback from the presidency, nor did he follow up, citing limited options as the national commissioner. This revelation has intensified scrutiny on the executive’s role in police matters, with critics questioning whether such inaction undermines the fight against political violence in a nation still grappling with its democratic fragility. 
The Madlanga Commission, officially the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, was established following explosive allegations by KZN Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in July 2025. Mkhwanazi accused high-level figures, including Mchunu and suspended Deputy National Commissioner Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, of meddling in investigations to shield criminal syndicates and political allies. The commission, chaired by retired Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga alongside co-chairs Judge Thandi Norman and retired Judge Gregory Kruger, aims to unpack these claims amid a backdrop of rising concerns over the integrity of the South African Police Service (SAPS). Its terms of reference are broad, covering everything from political assassinations to tender corruption, but experts warn that its non-binding recommendations could limit real change unless backed by decisive action from Parliament or the presidency. 
Masemola, the second witness after Mkhwanazi’s three-day grilling, took the stand at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College, where proceedings are open to the public and streamed live for transparency. Dressed in full uniform, the commissioner appeared composed but firm as he navigated questions from evidence leaders and the bench. He confirmed that Mchunu’s directive to disband the PKTT arrived without consultation or justification in December 2024, a move Masemola described as a “blatant violation” of his operational independence. “The how—including deployment of personnel, resources, and operational decisions—is within my mandate as National Commissioner,” Masemola stressed, drawing a clear line between ministerial policy oversight and day-to-day policing.  He argued that while the minister sets national priorities, direct interference in units like the PKTT encroaches on constitutional boundaries outlined in Section 207 of the South African Constitution.
The PKTT, formed in 2018 following recommendations from the Moerane Commission into political violence in KZN, has been hailed as a success story in tackling assassinations linked to intra-party rivalries, tenders, and power struggles. Under Masemola’s watch, the team expanded its scope to include high-profile cases in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape, such as the Fort Hare University murders and probes into figures like Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, an alleged underworld kingpin with ties to construction mafias. Masemola testified that the unit had revived “dead” dockets, leading to arrests and convictions that drastically reduced political killings in hotspots. “The narrative that the PKTT was not effective was completely false,” he said, adding that if Mchunu had sought a briefing, the disbandment might never have happened.

Yet, under intense cross-examination, Masemola’s stance revealed nuances that left commissioners baffled. He admitted to preparing a January 2025 report proposing a phased wind-down of the PKTT, rather than outright refusal. “You didn’t take any action. All you did was start preparing a report which recommended how it should be done,” one commissioner probed. Masemola replied, “That’s correct. So what I did was to propose that if we disband, this is the way.” He explained that abrupt closure would derail ongoing investigations, unsettle prosecutors from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and expose witnesses to risks in volatile regions. However, commissioners pointed out the contradiction: by proposing a phase-out, Masemola had effectively accepted the instruction in principle. “You may not have gotten to the stage of actually killing it, but you had accepted that it must be killed—in a phased manner. So you basically accepted the instruction,” Justice Madlanga stated. Masemola conceded, “Yeah, correct, Commissioner. Yes, in terms of those proposals. That’s what I ended up proposing to the minister.” 
This admission highlighted the immense pressure Masemola felt from Mchunu, who reportedly insisted on immediate disbandment despite no formal engagement on the team’s performance. Masemola clarified that no disbandment letter was ever signed, and he continued renewing the PKTT’s operational authorities, allowing it to function amid the uncertainty. “We were left in limbo,” he said of Mchunu’s failure to approve the phased approach. Ten team members were even redeployed to assist Gauteng counter-intelligence operations after facing life threats, underscoring the unit’s value in high-stakes probes.  Masemola dismissed claims of ineffectiveness, noting breakthroughs in cases like the DJ Sumbody murder and links to syndicates such as the “Big Five” in construction extortion.
The testimony took a dramatic turn when Masemola addressed his outreach to Ramaphosa. “I did speak to the president,” he said, explaining that with no other avenues—like suing his own minister—he turned to the head of state as a last resort. The president reportedly met with Mchunu, but Masemola heard nothing back. This “presidential apathy,” as some commentators have dubbed it, has sparked outrage. Opposition figures, including the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), have called for Ramaphosa to testify, arguing that his silence implies complicity in potential interference. In a March 2025 parliamentary session, Mchunu himself claimed presidential backing for the disbandment, stating he had consulted Ramaphosa and received agreement. “Cyril Ramaphosa, and the entire Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Police, especially its chairperson, should testify at the Madlanga Commission,” EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi demanded on social media, questioning why the executive was not probed for overreach. 
Masemola also confirmed that Mkhwanazi had escalated the matter to the Portfolio Committee on Police, where the KZN commissioner detailed the risks of disbanding the PKTT. Mkhwanazi’s earlier testimony painted a picture of systemic rot, accusing Mchunu of attempting to arrest an MK Party by-election candidate to benefit the ANC, and naming DA MP Dianne Kohler Barnard and National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams for alleged law-breaking. These claims have broadened the commission’s focus, with 121 sensitive dockets—originally transferred from KZN to Gauteng—now central to the inquiry. In a twist, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia and Masemola agreed in early September 2025 to hand over copies of these dockets to the commission, reversing an initial decision to return them to the PKTT for further investigation. 
Adding fuel to the fire are allegations against Sibiya, Masemola’s deputy. Whistleblower testimony linked Sibiya to Matlala, prompting his immediate suspension in September 2025. Masemola described the move as a “significant escalation,” citing Sibiya’s prior attempts to dismantle the PKTT and his legal battles over unrelated corruption charges. Sibiya has hit back, accusing Masemola of scapegoating him to deflect from leadership failures. “Masemola is using me as scapegoat,” Sibiya told media outlets, denying interference and challenging his “stay-at-home” order in court.  This internal feud has experts warning of eroded public trust in SAPS, with crime analyst Willem Els noting that such public spats damage the force’s credibility.
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