Moses Kau
In a strong show of support for National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola’s recent move to bring back the Political Killings Task Team, international relations expert Moses Kau has spoken out against Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia’s efforts to slow things down. Kau believes that ongoing probes into 141 dockets linked to political killings in KwaZulu-Natal should not stop while waiting for the Madlanga Commission. He warns that any hold-up could harm the trust people have in the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Kau’s Call for Uninterrupted Investigations
Moses Kau, an expert in international relations, shared his views clearly. “The (Acting) Minister of Police, Professor Firoz Cachalia, seems to be intent on stopping the work in the 141 dockets of the Political Killings Task Team,” he said. Kau added that probes already in progress should keep going, and where work is done, prosecutions should start and the accused should face charges.
He stressed that these steps should not wait for the Madlanga Commission, as suggested by the minister. “We are already (almost) into September and the Commission was announced by President Ramaphosa on 13 of July 2025 already,” Kau noted. He believes police should carry on with their duties, while the commission looks into claims made by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi about the task team.
Kau pointed out Cachalia’s own words about his role. “Professor Cachalia told us that the President appointed (chose) him, so that he ‘ensure the integrity of the SAPS during this difficult time and build public trust in this vitally important organisation’.” By letting police keep working on these cases, Kau said, the acting minister would be doing just that – keeping SAPS strong and trusted.
Fresh Tensions in South Africa’s Law Enforcement
This comes amid new clashes in South Africa’s police circles. Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia has sharply criticised National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola for ordering the return of 121 case dockets tied to political killings back to the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Political Killings Task Team. This happened right before a big judicial probe into claims of corruption and meddling in the South African Police Service (SAPS) was due to start. Masemola made the call on Thursday, 28 August 2025, to let the team pick up probes into big murders, attempted murders, and threats that have hit KZN hard for years.  But Cachalia says the timing is worrying and could weaken the probe led by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
The row comes from long-running claims of political meddling in key probes, especially in KZN, where killings driven by politics have taken hundreds of lives since 2011. Victims include councillors, party leaders, and traditional chiefs. The Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), set up in 2019 under former Police Minister Bheki Cele, was meant to dig into these crimes, often linked to fights inside the African National Congress (ANC), taxi wars, and bigger power grabs. These cases are tough, with complex suspect networks needing careful proof collection. As Masemola put it: “By nature, the dockets that are carried by the political task teams are not simple; they are very complicated. It’s not easy to investigate them and so you really don’t expect arrest soon in those dockets. They vary from murder, attempted murder and intimidation.”
At first, the team made good progress, with arrests and guilty verdicts in cases like the murder of DJ Sumbody and several local officials. But in March 2025, the unit was suddenly shut down, and the 121 active dockets – many with arrest warrants ready – were pulled and sent to Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, without Masemola’s okay. KZN Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi openly blamed Sibiya and suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu for this meddling, saying it was to shield linked people, including businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, tied to a claimed drug cartel with politicians, police, prosecutors, and judges. Mkhwanazi said in a July 2025 briefing that five dockets had prosecutor orders for arrests, but the pull-out stopped everything.
Sibiya, once head of the Hawks in Gauteng and known for big cases like the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, is now suspended while waiting for the Madlanga Commission’s results.  He claimed Masemola ordered the closure in a letter, but Masemola denied ever signing such a thing, saying: “I am sure you have not seen any letter that I have signed to close the unit.”  Mchunu, on special leave since July 2025, is accused of closing the team in December 2024 under sway from Matlala’s partner, Brown Mogotsi. These claims point to a deep syndicate blocking justice, with Mkhwanazi warning of teamwork across fields to protect big names. 
Masemola’s Push to Restart Probes
Masemola’s order to return the dockets came under rising pressure after the Government of National Unity (GNU) formed post the May 2024 elections, where the ANC lost its full control and teamed up with groups like the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). At a Thursday media talk, the commissioner said the files would be copied and checked for any changes before going back to the KZN team. “I wrote the letter to the detectives and the provincial commissioner to return them, but I know that they must go through a process of checking, making copies and then taking them back,” Masemola explained. He also shared plans to grow the task team into Gauteng soon to handle similar open cases, like politician killings and taxi fights. If any issues show up, he promised they would be marked for more checks.
Cachalia, named acting minister after Mchunu’s leave, voiced big doubts about the timing. He argues that shifting the dockets before the Madlanga Commission starts could hurt the probe’s chance to find the truth on claimed meddling. The commission, set up by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July 2025 to look into corruption, political fiddling, and crime in SAPS, has hit snags from buying needs and is hoped to begin soon.  Cachalia’s slam calls the choice one that might hide those involved, amid wider pushes for clear dealings in the GNU time. In his words: “I recognise that the allegations made in relation to the Political Killings Task Team are of immense public interest. The Political Killings Task Team is at the centre of the allegations made by the Provincial Commissioner and will be dealt with by the Commission. It is a concern therefore that steps are being taken in relation to this matter before the Commission has had a chance to investigate the issues surrounding the Task Team. I have requested the National Commissioner to submit his report without further delay.” 
Roots of the Task Team and Ongoing Claims
The Political Killings Task Team came from the 2016 Moerane Commission’s look into why political killings happen in KwaZulu-Natal. The commission gave full advice to fix political violence, leading to the team’s start in 2019. Its job is to probe and fix unsolved murders driven by politics, mainly in KwaZulu-Natal.  Mkhwanazi, a top cop known for standing firm against corruption and inside meddling, said the disbanding was blocking justice. His bold claims caused a big stir across the country, with Mchunu calling them “baseless,” and President Ramaphosa starting the judicial probe. Mchunu has been on special leave since, waiting for results.
More claims show Sibiya said Masemola told him to shut the unit on Mchunu’s orders, with a letter setting it out. But Masemola stands by not signing any such paper.  Sibiya is now fighting his suspension in the Pretoria High Court, seeking to get back.  Parliament has set up an Ad Hoc Committee to look into Mkhwanazi’s claims too. 
Madlanga Commission Hits Roadblocks
The Madlanga Commission, meant to start hearings on 1 September 2025 at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, has been put off due to hold-ups in getting needed tools from the Justice Department.  This includes safe ICT setup, data storage for searches, cybersecurity, and email services – all key for the probe.  Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has started discipline steps against the department’s Director-General, Advocate Doc Mashabane, and suspended Deputy Director-General for ICT, Jabu Hlatshwayo, for not being careful enough.  Kubayi said some early work, like talking to witnesses, has begun, but full hearings wait on the buys. 
The hold-up has drawn fire. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) slammed President Ramaphosa, saying the commission was set to fail as a way to calm worries without real action.  They point out Mchunu still gets minister perks while on leave, and call for his full removal. The EFF plans to push accountability through a parliament ad hoc group on law enforcement, starting in September.  Former President Jacob Zuma and his uMkhonto weSizwe party are challenging the commission in court, saying it might go over time and picks on foes while guarding ANC insiders. 
Parliament’s Justice Committee chair is worried about the delays, calling for quick fixes to start the Madlanga probe.  Analysts say the stall could hurt trust in anti-corruption work, with the commission’s tight deadlines – three months for an early report, six for the final – now harder to meet. 
Mixed Public Views and Analyst Insights
Public views on social media are split but strong. Many back Masemola for quick action, with one user saying: “I had my doubts about Masemola but he is proving to be very solid.” Others doubt Cachalia’s aims, calling him “Mr Bean” and saying he was put there to “hide ANC’s dirty business.” Fans of the move urged SAPS to overlook Cachalia and focus on justice for victims: “What nonsense, why must SAPS wait for a useless commission when they should be dealing with crime, we stand with Commissioner Fannie Masemola.” But some spot ongoing ANC sway: “Something very strange happening with our Police. And the ANC is starting to look very suspicious.” 
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) is carefully hopeful about the docket return but against early release before Madlanga checks.  Forensic investigator Chad Thomas called the situation confusing, noting a rift at the top. He said Cachalia might have erred by calling out Masemola so soon, given the commission’s delays and the huge scope – looking back 25 years in SAPS. Thomas warned of a trust gap between police and people, almost gone now, and said the docket return brought relief but now mixes signals. 
🔴 Central News Weekly Edition | Issue 115 🔴 Download the Latest Print and E-Edition of Central News | Headline: Ngwathe Municipality Refuses to Back Down, Heads to Supreme Court of Appeal
Download Here:
Direct PDF File Here:
https://centralnews.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Central-News-Issue-115-1.pdf
Read all our publications on magzter:
https://www.magzter.com/ZA/Central-News-Pty-Ltd/Central-News/Newspaper/All-Issues
Central News also offers Sponsored Editorial Content, Podcasts , Radio / Social Media Simulcast, Video Production , Live Streaming Services, Press Conferences, and Paid Interviews (Video/Audio) etc.
We guarantee exceptional exposure, reach, and engagement, with an excellent return on investment.
Advertisement:
To place your advert on our platforms (Print Newspaper or Digital Platforms) : Please email : sales@centralnews.co.za
For Business Related:
business@centralnews.co.za
Newsroom:
Send your Stories / Media Statements To: newsroom@centralnews.co.za
General Info:
info@centralnews.co.za
Office Administrator:
admin@centralnews.co.za
Whatsapp / Call: 081 495 5487
Website: https://www.centralnews.co.za
Social Media Platforms (@centralnewsza) : Linkedin, Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube