A Critical Unit Dissolved: The Minister’s Explanation Awaited

Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu is set to return to the hot seat at the Madlanga Commission on Friday, where he will be pressed to provide a clear rationale for one of his most controversial decisions: the disbanding of the specialized Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) in KwaZulu-Natal.

This week’s testimony laid the groundwork for a tense confrontation. Witnesses and evidence before the commission have accused Mchunu of making the pivotal decision unilaterally, without consulting key stakeholders within the South African Police Service (SAPS). The PKTT was a dedicated unit formed to tackle the rampant wave of politically linked assassinations in KZN and had garnered respect for improving arrest rates and investigative coordination.

A Concession That Raises More Questions

Under cross-examination, Mchunu conceded a significant procedural flaw. He acknowledged that the National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemolawith whom he said he had a “good working relationship”should have been the primary advisor on the unit’s future. This admission underscores the central criticism: that a major operational shift was executed without engaging the top operational leadership of the police.

The commission now seeks a substantive explanation. Mchunu must move beyond acknowledging the lack of consultation and detail the specific reasons, evidence, or policy directives that led him to dissolve a unit widely seen as effective. Was it a cost-cutting measure? A restructuring effort? Or, as some allege, a politically motivated move to disrupt sensitive investigations?

The outcome of his testimony will be crucial in determining whether the decision was a well-intentioned administrative misstep or a more calculated act with grave implications for justice and stability in a province long plagued by political violence. The commission, and the public, are waiting for answers.

{Source: IOL}

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