ANC says Mchunu acted on assessment, rejects claims he was influenced in disbanding PKTT

The ANC has rejected accusations that suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was pushed by outside interests when he ordered the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) disbanded, saying his decision followed a broader assessment of problems within the unit.

Party rejects claims of outside direction

The party’s chief whip, Mdumiseni Ntuli, told an ad hoc parliamentary committee that the evidence did not show the minister had acted “at someone else’s direction.” He described assertions that Mchunu had been influenced as “a strong assertion” and said the minister had considered “interventions of different kinds” before issuing the directive.

Contested testimony and party responses

The disbandment, which Mchunu ordered on December 31, 2024, has been central to Parliament’s probe into alleged police corruption. During Monday’s deliberations the committee considered amendments and party submissions to its draft report.

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) argued that Mchunu had been influenced by people outside the police service, naming violence monitor Mary de Haas and alleged political fixer Brown Mogotsi, and asked for stronger findings against the minister.

Opposition parties challenged the ANC’s defence. EFF MP Leigh-Ann Mathys pointed to Mchunu’s own testimony, saying he acknowledged receiving complaints about the task team from people outside the South African Police Service and that “it was the minister’s testimony before the committee that he was influenced by the complaint of De Haas.” MP Vusi Shongwe also said De Haas’s complaints were among the factors that influenced the minister.

The DA agreed with the ANC that the MKP submission lacked sufficient facts. The EFF, Patriotic Alliance and ActionSA supported the MKP’s position.

Madlanga Commission evidence and allegations

The dispute follows testimony before the Madlanga Commission, which is examining allegations around Mchunu’s role in the PKTT decision. The commission has heard allegations that Mchunu engaged in political interference, corruption and links to criminal networks, and heard claims that he attempted to influence police leadership, shared confidential intelligence and pressured witnesses to fabricate cases against senior crime intelligence officials.

Mchunu has denied wrongdoing and said he exercised his ministerial authority independently. He has previously said complaints from Mary de Haas and former administrative official Patricia Mashale raised allegations of human rights abuses and misconduct within the task team, but he insisted they did not control his decision. He is expected to return to the commission at a later date.

What happened next in Parliament

On Monday the ad hoc committee continued to consider submissions and proposed changes to its draft report as part of the ongoing parliamentary inquiry into the matter.