A Minister’s Solo Decision That Stunned a Commission

The Madlanga Commission, already probing deep-seated corruption and political meddling in law enforcement, heard a stunning admission this week. Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu took the stand and revealed he single-handedly issued the order to disband the specialized Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) without a single meeting, briefing, or formal discussion with senior police leadership.

His testimony on Thursday sent a ripple through the inquiry. “No meeting, no briefing, and no formal engagement,” Mchunu conceded, describing the unilateral move that shut down the unit established to investigate a relentless wave of assassinations in KwaZulu-Natal and other hotspots.

Backpedalling Under Scrutiny: “Inadequate and Regrettable” Communication

Returning to face questioning on Friday, Mchunu attempted to clarify, framing the decision as a move to address “duplication, inefficiency and poor coordination” among various specialized police teams. He maintained the PKTT’s work was to be absorbed into broader SAPS structures.

Yet, he was forced to acknowledge the glaring procedural failure, calling the communication around his decision “inadequate and regrettable.” This did little to satisfy the commission’s core concern: whether the abrupt disbandment derailed active investigations, endangered witnesses, and emboldened the very criminal networks the team was meant to dismantle.

The Commission’s Unanswered Question: Where Did the Cases Go?

Commission chair Justice Mandisa Madlanga pressed the minister on these critical points, seeking assurance that the capacity to investigate complex, politically-linked murders remained intact. Mchunu insisted SAPS was still capable, but the commission signalled it would require concrete evidencenot just ministerial assuranceto accept that claim.

The testimony paints a picture of a minister operating in a vacuum, making a high-stakes decision affecting some of the country’s most sensitive investigations without tapping into the operational expertise of the police command. It raises profound questions about executive overreach, the breakdown in police-ministerial relations, and the real-world consequences for justice in cases where lives are literally on the line.

For the families of victims awaiting answers, Mchunu’s admission that he acted alone offers little comfort. Instead, it adds a new layer of political intrigue to the unsolved cases that once defined the PKTT’s urgent mandate. The commission continues, now tasked with untangling whether this was a mere administrative misstep or a deliberate act with darker implications.

{Source: IOL}

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