Mapaballo Borotho
- Senzo Mchunu has defended his decision to disband the PKTT, insisting the move was part of broader SAPS restructuring plans dating back to 2019.
- He told the Madlanga Commission that allegations of corruption against him are unprecedented in his career.
- His actions remain under scrutiny, with witnesses claiming he made the decision without consulting senior SAPS officials.
Controversial Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has defended his decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).
Mchunu continued to plead his innocence against accusations that his order to dissolve the team at a time when it was already yielding results amounted to political interference within the South African Police Service.
The Police Minister, who has since been placed on special leave by President Cyril Ramaphosa, was testifying at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday afternoon.
He referred to long-standing plans to restructure the SAPS, which he said had been in the works since 2019.
He told commissioners and the evidence leader that the PKTT was meant to be disbanded and reorganised into a Special Investigating Unit to give it a more national reach.
Mchunu also urged the Commission to consider that the allegations against him were unprecedented.
“Through all those public positions that I have had the privilege to occupy, from MEC, Premier and Ministerial positions, I have never been accused of corruption. This is the first time that I am accused of such, as alleged particularly on the 6th of July.”
His 2024 order to disband the team has been under scrutiny following allegations that he issued the directive after police raids on Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and Katiso Molefe.
“No briefing was given to me regarding any arrests or deployments involving the PKTT in December,” he said.
During its initial hearings, the Madlanga Commission also heard that just six months after assuming office at the Police Ministry, Mchunu insisted that the PKTT be shut down.
According to witnesses so far, he never consulted with then PKTT manager, General Dumisani Khumalo, nor National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, before making the decision.
Masemola previously testified that Mchunu became furious when he learned that, despite the order, the team was still assisting in another alleged politically motivated murder case in KwaZulu-Natal.
Mchunu will continue with his testimony on Thursday.
The Commission is expected to hear from a subpoenaed witness: suspended Ekurhuleni Deputy Police Chief Julius Mkhwanazi on Wednesday.
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