Mkhwanazi claims 'deliberate attempt' by state to stop probes into political killings

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi says the political killings task team has unmasked a syndicate controlled by a drug cartel that involves politicians, law enforcement, business people, prosecutors and the judiciary.

Mkhwanazi made these explosive claims during a press conference on Sunday, saying there was a deliberate attempt to collapse the political killings task team.

“On December 31 2024 the minister of police, Senzo Mchunu, issued a letter to disband the political killings task team and to suspend the filling of all vacancies within the crime intelligence [division],” he said.

“In January, February, and April, the deputy national commissioner for crime detection, Lt-Gen [Shadrack] Sibiya, issued written instructions withdrawing all the case dockets from the task team to his office.”

Mkhwanazi said that on May 14, the political killings task team arrested Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala on three alleged counts of attempted murder. Matlala was awarded a R360m contract from the police in 2024.

“An analysis was conducted on [the] electronic communication of this syndicate. This analysis reveals communication between the arrested Matlala, Mr Brown Mogotsi — an associate of the minister of police — as well as the minister of police, Mr Senzo Mchunu.

“Further analysis of the chats indicates Matlala is financially supporting the minister of police and Brown Mogotsi’s political endeavours. This is supported by the evidence of conversations and the proof of payments of guests for the January 8 travelling costs and a gala dinner table in Cape Town,” said Mkhwanazi.

The political killings task team was established after the murder of ANC activist Musawenkosi Qashana Mchunu in Plessislaer in KwaZulu-Natal in May 2018.

“The task team remains operational, albeit attempts to disrupt its work to protect and serve the inhabitants of the republic.”

SowetanLIVE