Deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili on Tuesday said she was “confused” and “surprised” by a directive issued on December 31 2024 ordering the immediate disbandment of the political killings task team (PKTT), saying the process did not follow proper internal communication channels.
Mosikili was testifying before parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations of corruption, political interference and maladministration within the criminal justice system. The inquiry stems from allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
The directive to disband the PKTT was issued by police minister Senzo Mchunu, who is currently on special leave. The e-mail was sent by the minister’s chief of staff Cedrick Nkabinde.
Mosikili, who was acting national commissioner at the time, said she only became aware of the directive on January 2 2025 after returning to Pretoria from overseeing Operation Festive Season deployments.
“At the time it was when we were at the apex of the festive season,” she told the committee.
In the days before the directive was issued, she had travelled with national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola and Mchunu to the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal to monitor festive season operations. They parted ways with the minister on December 28 2024.
To be honest and frank, I became confused. I was unsure. I was also surprised and I questioned the authenticity of the directive as I could not believe the content, precisely because of the tone of the letter
— Lt-Gen Tebello Mosikili
“At no stage was there mention of the PKTT or any attempts to have any directive on the PKTT,” she said.
She told MPs she first learnt of the letter after receiving a media query about a document circulating on social media. Once it was confirmed as authentic, she studied its contents.
“To be honest and frank, I became confused. I was unsure. I was also surprised and I questioned the authenticity of the directive as I could not believe the content, precisely because of the tone of the letter,” she said.
Mosikili said the timing was concerning as it coincided with Masemola’s leave and the peak of festive season operations, which had by then moved to Gauteng.
Responding to questions from committee members about whether due process had been followed, she said no impact assessment had been conducted before the directive was issued. She told MPs those responsible for implementing the instruction had not been convened in advance.
“It could have been best if we were convened and those affected and expected to deliver on this particular key performance indicator were aware of what would happen and what the repercussions would be,” she said. “With every operation, you need to evaluate what the impact will be. In short, it was not properly communicated. In my view it could have been done better.”
Mosikili, who previously served as divisional commissioner for detective services when the PKTT was established, said national intervention teams could not simply be dissolved without a demobilisation plan.
“When you have a national intervention team, you can’t wake up the next morning and say the team must go back,” she said. “You can’t disband a team without consideration of all factors and draw a clear plan of demobilising the teams, and to avoid fruitless expenditure.”
She confirmed to MPs a proposal was later presented for a phased transition of the PKTT into the serious and violent crimes component within the detective and forensic services division. The presentation was delivered on March 6 by crime intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo.
On Nkabinde’s involvement in operational meetings, Mosikili said it was ‘problematic’ that he would sit in meetings with senior police officials and object to input from police generals.
Mosikili said she and Masemola supported a transitional approach. However, suspended deputy national commissioner for crime detection Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya and Nkabinde were “adamant” the directive be implemented immediately.
“The specific words used in the meeting were, ‘But the minister gave the directive that it must be disbanded’,” she testified.
She also told the committee she found it irregular that Sibiya had approached Masemola directly while he was on leave instead of engaging her in her capacity as acting national commissioner. She said she could not verify whether the conversation had taken place but regarded the move as surprising.
On Nkabinde’s involvement in operational meetings, Mosikili said it was “problematic” that he would sit in meetings with senior police officials and object to input from police generals.
“It was not appropriate for him to be involved in such matters unless he was advising the minister. This was a clear overreach,” she said.
MPs questioned Mosikili about allegations she had allowed private investigator Paul O’Sullivan to infiltrate the criminal justice system.
She denied this, explaining she became aware of O’Sullivan when he delivered files to her office relating to convicted organised crime figure Radovan Krejčíř. She said there was nothing improper about receiving information from members of the public and O’Sullivan did not receive preferential treatment.
“I don’t think for a person to come and share information is untoward if you don’t know where he is coming from,” she said.
When asked about corruption within SA Police Service (SAPS), Mosikili acknowledged corrupt officials existed but said she could not confirm allegations of cartel infiltration without verified facts or an active investigation. She repeatedly told MPs she could not provide definitive conclusions in the absence of evidence placed before her.
Mosikili emphasised her seniority within SAPS, stating she has 38 years’ service and has acted as national commissioner 11 times, including during the period when the directive was issued.
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