Masemola Tells Madlanga Commission: PKTT Vital for Justice, Cannot Be Shut Down by Minister
In a riveting testimony before the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola stood firm on the importance of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT). He made it clear that the unit remains active and essential for tackling politically motivated murders across South Africa. This comes amid ongoing tensions with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who tried to disband the team without proper talks or clear reasons. Masemola’s words highlight a bigger issue: the need to keep police work free from political meddling to ensure justice for all.
The Madlanga Commission, set up to probe claims of corruption within the police, has brought these matters to light. Masemola’s evidence sheds new details on how the PKTT has handled tough cases, from old political hits to fresh breakthroughs. His stance underlines why such teams are key in a country still dealing with violence tied to politics, with over 200 such killings reported since 2017.
No Consultation Before Disbandment Order
Masemola told the commission that Mchunu’s push to shut down the PKTT caught him off guard. The minister sent a letter on 31 December 2024, saying the team was “no longer required” and must be “disestablished immediately”. Masemola got this letter on 2 January while on leave. He pointed out that no one had raised worries about the team’s work before this.
From the day Mchunu took office, there were no chats about problems with the PKTT. Masemola said the minister never met with him, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, or the team’s leader, Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo. Even the budget for the PKTT had been signed off by Mchunu earlier, showing he once backed its role.
Masemola saw this as an abuse of power. “My interpretation is that it is a directive that actually deals with the work of the national commissioner. It encroaches into the operational activities of SAPS, instructing immediate disbandment without providing reasons,” he said. He stressed that while the minister can ask for a team to be set up, he cannot step in and close it down once it is running. This goes against the rules in Section 207(2) of the Constitution, which lets the commissioner control police operations under the minister’s guidance, but not total interference.
No formal letter to end the team ever reached Khumalo or Mkhwanazi. Masemola made sure of this in his testimony. He also told his deputy, Shadrack Sibiya, to send all case files back to their starting police stations. This way, probes could keep going without a hitch.
Tense Meetings and Unclear Reasons
Follow-up talks in March 2025 did little to clear the air. On 6 March in Cape Town, Masemola met with Mchunu and others to discuss the matter. He pushed for a slow wind-down of the PKTT, not a sudden stop. But Mchunu and his team, including chief of staff Cedrick Nkabinde, wanted it gone right away. Masemola found the minister’s reasons weak – Mchunu claimed political killings were mostly from before 1994, but Masemola shot this down, saying they continued well after.
Things got heated on 27 March 2025. Mchunu was furious when he learned the PKTT had made headway in the murder of Phendukani Mabhida, an ANC councillor in KwaZulu-Natal killed in February 2025. Mabhida had spoken out against corruption in the Mandeni Local Municipality. The team linked a gun and suspect to the crime through ballistics, even though local police made the first arrests. Masemola wondered why the minister would be upset about solving crimes. The meeting ended quickly amid the anger.
Masemola said Mchunu never gave solid points against the PKTT’s wins. The disbandment letter claimed the team was not “adding any value to policing in South Africa” and its “further existence” was not needed. But no proper check or “observation” was explained. Masemola asked for clarity, but got none.
PKTT’s Key Wins and Ongoing Probes
Despite the drama, Masemola defended the PKTT’s track record. The team has worked in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and even at Fort Hare University, where arrests led to court cases. “Those cases are still before the courts if not yet finalised, because trials take time. But arrests have been made, and that is the work of this team,” he said.
One big win is the arrest of alleged crime boss Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. He faces charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and money laundering. Matlala is accused of planning a hit on his ex-girlfriend, actress Tebogo Thobejane, which has grabbed public interest. Masemola said these steps show why the PKTT is still needed.
The team also helped in the case of former ANC youth league secretary Sindiso Magaqa, where a suspect was nabbed for his murder. Plus, 121 dockets on political killings were moved from KwaZulu-Natal to Gauteng for better handling. Info from Matlala hinted that plans to scrap the PKTT started as early as 6 December 2024.
Masemola noted worries about leaks, political meddling, and poor management in the PKTT, but he insisted its role in complex cases outweighs these. The team probes not just murders, but ties to corruption and organised crime. For example, Major-General Julius Mkhwanazi is said to have helped Matlala get vehicles with blue lights under the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department, raising red flags.
Political killings in South Africa go back before 1994, but they did not stop after. “The political killings have been taking place pre-1994, yes. Even after 94… It wasn’t just murders, it was murders of politicians… They were targeted,” Masemola explained. The PKTT has been vital in bringing killers to book and building trust in the police.
Pushback from Parliament and Higher Ups
The fight over the PKTT reached Parliament. In March 2025, Masemola, Mchunu, and Mkhwanazi were called to the Portfolio Committee on Police. Most MPs backed Mchunu’s call to disband, even after Masemola showed the team’s results. This showed how politics can sway police matters.
Masemola took it further, telling President Cyril Ramaphosa about Mchunu’s move. On 1 February 2025, Ramaphosa seemed shocked and promised to talk to the minister. But no update came, and Masemola did not push more. He could not sue his own minister and felt stuck. Mchunu later claimed Ramaphosa agreed to the disbandment, but Masemola doubted this, given the president’s past praise for the PKTT.
Masemola opposed the end but gave in under pressure. He escalated to the president as a final step, after Mkhwanazi raised it in committee with no fix.
Plans to Grow the PKTT in Gauteng
Looking ahead, Masemola announced a new PKTT just for Gauteng. This unit will handle political murders and tricky cases in the province. It shows the need for such teams nationwide, as violence linked to politics spreads.
“The work of this team is essential for upholding justice and accountability,” Masemola said. He stressed that operational freedom is key for public trust and good policing. The national commissioner works under a clear legal setup that ensures fairness and service to people, even when politicians have their say.
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