DID SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT KNOW?

PRETORIA – National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has told the Madlanga Commission that suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu claimed President Cyril Ramaphosa had supported the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).

Masemola testified that when he briefed Ramaphosa on the matter, the President appeared surprised and questioned why the specialised unit was dissolved without proper justification. According to Masemola, Ramaphosa undertook to engage directly with Mchunu on the issue, but the outcome of that discussion was never communicated back to the police leadership.

The PKTT was established in 2018 following the Moerane Commission of Inquiry, which had laid bare the scale of politically motivated killings in KwaZulu-Natal. The unit’s abrupt dissolution earlier this year has drawn sharp criticism from civil society, opposition parties, and security analysts, who argue that the move undermined the fight against political violence.

Masemola emphasised that the decision compromised the independence and operational stability of the South African Police Service (SAPS), noting that the unit had made significant inroads in tackling politically linked crimes in hot-spot regions.

The Commission continues to probe the rationale behind the task team’s disbandment, with mounting concerns over accountability, governance, and the state’s commitment to curbing political violence.