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Gauteng to Launch Political Killings Task Team After Surge in Violence
A province under pressure
Gauteng is preparing to confront a wave of political violence that has shaken communities for more than a decade. Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced that the province will form its first political killings task team within four weeks. The unit will investigate politically motivated murders and attempted murders dating back to 2010.
At a media briefing after the Gauteng Executive Council Lekgotla, Lesufi said the African National Congress, which leads the Government of Provincial Unity, had grown alarmed at the increase in assassinations. Councillors, government employees, and traditional leaders have been among the recent victims.
“These killings are not coincidental,” Lesufi said, explaining that a database of unresolved cases has been compiled with the help of national police.
Building a new unit
The specialised task team will operate within the South African Police Service and work alongside other law enforcement agencies. National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola confirmed the move after consultations with Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia and Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni.
A project plan is being finalised to set the team’s terms of reference, allocate resources, and appoint investigators. The unit will focus on high-profile and politically sensitive cases that have eroded public trust in South Africa’s justice system.
Lesufi stressed that the Government of Provincial Unity fully supports the initiative and called on community members and government employees to assist investigators with information.
Beyond politics
Lesufi added that the task team should also take on violence within the taxi industry, where killings have often overlapped with political disputes in Gauteng. “We owe it to the families of the victims and to our communities to ensure no case is excluded,” he said.
A national backdrop
The decision comes as KwaZulu-Natal faces ongoing controversy over political killings. More than 120 dockets were recently returned to a disbanded KZN task team, raising concerns about interference and accountability.
By contrast, Gauteng’s new task team is positioned as a proactive response. Lesufi praised Minister Cachalia for swift action and pledged his administration’s full support to law enforcement and the judiciary in prosecuting those who use violence to gain political advantage.
Restoring public trust
For residents of Gauteng, the creation of the task team is about more than arrests. It represents a chance to rebuild trust in state institutions and deliver long-delayed justice to families affected by political assassinations.
The true measure of success will be whether the unit can provide closure to grieving families, restore stability to communities, and strengthen confidence in South Africa’s democracy.
Also read: MK Party Raises Alarm Over 121 Political Killing Dockets in KwaZulu-Natal
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: SABC News
