PA MP Ashley Sauls has backed suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu’s directive to disband the political killings task team (PKTT).
On December 31, Mchunu sent national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola an instruction to immediately disestablish the task team, a move for which he received significant criticism and allegations of interference in police investigations that were being investigated by parliament’s ad hoc committee.
Mchunu is making his fourth appearance before the committee, giving his side of the story regarding allegations made against him.
In his previous testimony, the minister defended his decision to send the directive, saying part of the reason for disbanding the PKTT was due to budget constraints and the need for optimisation to get more resources to combat other crimes in the country instead of only focusing on political killings “in one corner of the country”.
“The budget allocated to SAPS became one of the reasons I wrote to the SAPS to give effect to more optimisation of our resources,” Mchunu said.
“When you’re given a job as a minister, you have to run the country, not KZN. You can’t deal with crime with one temporary task team based in KZN, no matter how many times you go on TV.
“You may feel good about the PKTT, but you can’t keep relegating the majority of people in South Africa and focus on councillors, not that they must die.”
While questioning Mchunu in parliament on Wednesday, Sauls said he supported Mchunu’s reasons for disbanding the task team.
“What you wrote [in the letter] was correct,” Sauls said.
He said that while he was not convinced about Mchunu’s testimony regarding his relationship with North West businessman Brown Mogotsi and attempted murder accused Vusimuzi ”Cat” Matlala, he was convinced about his reasons for the disbandment of the PKTT.
Sauls urged Mchunu not to worry about what people say about him, amid public scrutiny.
“Don’t worry about your position or public opinion. Stand by your conviction. I looked at your evidence and compared it to what was given before, and this is what I conclude. Whether the whole of South Africa criticises me for doing it, I stand by my conviction. Stand by your conviction when it comes to these facts.”
Sauls referenced funds being misused in the police service, saying Mchunu made the right call to cut money going into the task team as it could be better used elsewhere.
“Stand by your conviction. We are not here for claps or likes, we’re here on national duty.”
TimesLIVE
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