Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga says he gets the sense that suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu was in a “terrible rush” to disband the political killings task team (PKTT).
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged during a July 6 media briefing that Mchunu’s decision to disband the PKTT was influenced by criminals, including attempted murder accused and tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, and multiple murder accused Katiso “KT” Molefe.
Madlanga on Thursday pressed Mchunu on the PKTT disbandment.
Madlanga: What was the big rush, minister?
Mchunu: The rush, as you put it, was to give an indication on what was supposed to have happened before and the wrong that was happening with the budget and so on. I wanted to say, let’s discuss those but the decision to disband has been taken. I was flexible to that decision and I didn’t see anything wrong with the decision.
Madlanga: Minister, I still don’t understand [if] that explains the big rush, especially when you say you were flexible to be convinced? Why start with an action and await a possible reversal? It gives me a sense that you were in a terrible rush.
Mchunu: I would not say it was a big rush.
Madlanga: Was there ever a meeting before December 2024 where the focal point was the disbandment of the PKTT?
Mchunu: Yes. The meeting was about the reviewing of the PKTT.
Madlanga: On what basis did the minister issue the directives to disband the PKTT?
Mchunu: First, on the basis that subsequent to, and I’m careful, you will correct me, just shortly after the letter of the directive [to disband the task team], national [police] commissioner [Gen Fannie Masemola] in the preliminary report says they [PKTT] have achieved what they were supposed to achieve, which is not something that I think just arose after the directive [was given]. It would have been there, noticed and identified. That is my point number one.
In other words, and secondly, I would say, on the basis that, therefore, they [task team] would have been seen even by management not only to have performed very well and commended, but have achieved what they were set up to achieve.
I’m asking you a simple question. Did you compare that expenditure with the expenditure of other task teams? It’s a simple question. Did you or did you not?
— Mbuyiseli Madlanga, justice
Madlanga: Your answer does not make sense because it’s something that you get to know after you had taken that decision. What was the relationship between you and Masemola, and I mean, in terms of work?
Mchunu: It was a very good relationship.
Madlanga then asked why he dropped a “bombshell” on Masemola on December 31 2024 when he issued directives to disband the PKTT without discussing it with him.
Mchunu said the intention was to dissolve it and make it a national unit under serious and violent crime.
Madlanga pressed on, asking the basis that led Mchunu to disband the team without speaking to the “best person [Masemola]” who would have assisted him to make a decision on the disbandment of the PKTT.
Mchunu said he had satisfied himself that the discussion he had with Masemola and the national commissioner’s deputies previously on the disbandment of the task team were enough for him to go ahead and give directives to do away with it.
Madlanga: Minister, that doesn’t answer my question. I want a specific person — a warm body. Who was best placed to advise or brief you on whether the PKTT should be disbanded? Are you saying there was no single person in your view who should have briefed you, despite the national commissioner who is heading the SAPS task teams?
Mchunu: No. I’m saying we had discussions — essentially briefings — with the national commissioner in November. We agreed there should be a review but not specifically on disbandment. Had there been a need for a briefing beforehand, it would have been …
Madlanga interjects: I’m not asking what happened. I’m asking who should have been best placed to brief you. Who is that person?
Mchunu: The national commissioner.
Madlanga: You say the PKTT expenditure could not be justified. Did you compare it with the expenditure of other task teams?
Mchunu: No, we were dealing with the overall allocation of the budget and I only complained about the way we were managing the budget and allocating it. I did talk about less expenditure on detectives, less expenditure on other enablers, so it was not necessarily to be confined to a particular task team. It was spread in the whole organisation, to say we are not allocating the resources correctly here and here.
Madlanga: I’m asking you a simple question. Did you compare that expenditure with the expenditure of other task teams? It’s a simple question. Did you or did you not?
Mchunu: No, I didn’t compare it with other task teams, but ...
Madlanga interjected and said: Thank you.
The commission continues on Friday with Mchunu on the stand again.
The commission is expected to handover an interim report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on December 17.
Sowetan
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