Masemola Concedes to Mchunu’s Task Team Disbandment, Tells Madlanga Commission ‘Life Goes On’

Commissioner faces the heat in Pretoria

National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola found himself under sharp questioning on Monday as he testified before the Madlanga Commission, which is probing allegations of political interference and corruption in South Africa’s criminal justice system.

At the heart of the grilling was Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s surprise decision to disband the political killings task team (PKTT) a move that has shaken public confidence in how political violence cases are handled, especially in KwaZulu-Natal.

A decision out of the blue

Masemola told the commission that he was caught off guard. While on leave at the end of December 2024, he received no prior warning from Mchunu, who had even attended a funeral with him just three days before issuing the disbandment letter.

“I only learned about the letter on 2 January when my office sent it via WhatsApp,” he said, adding that the lack of consultation left him “perplexed.”

The leak of the letter quickly reached KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who phoned Masemola to confirm he had nothing to do with the decision. Masemola said he assured him that Mchunu had never sought advice before acting.

An unlawful encroachment?

Masemola described the minister’s directive as “an encroachment” on his authority, agreeing with commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga that it was an unlawful interference.

“I take it as an encroachment in the operational activities of SAPS,” he said, noting that he raised the matter directly with President Cyril Ramaphosa in February. The president confirmed he would speak to Mchunu but never disclosed the outcome of that discussion.

Why comply, then?

Despite acknowledging the disbandment was unlawful, Masemola admitted he went ahead with preparing a preliminary report as requested. He insisted that his compliance was limited to producing the report, not dismantling the team outright.

“I would have been accused of insubordination since all that was required… was the preparation of a report,” he explained.

But Justice Madlanga was unimpressed.
“It doesn’t make sense to me that you would have feared insubordination if asked to make a progress report on a disbandment that is unlawful,” he pressed.

Masemola defended himself: “After having no other way, and life goes on, this man is here in front of me, he wants the team to be disestablished. There is no other help, so what do I do?”

Bigger questions about political killings

The timing of the disbandment raised further questions. Masemola revealed that at the time, he was not aware the task team had been probing high-profile businessmen Katiso “KT” Molefe and Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlalafigures whose alleged involvement in criminal networks has drawn political scrutiny.

Critics say this suggests the disbandment could have been aimed at protecting certain interests rather than improving policing.

South Africans react

On social media, many South Africans expressed frustration at Masemola’s testimony. Some accused him of “hiding behind protocol” instead of standing firm against political meddling. Others pointed out that his phrase “life goes on” reflects a dangerous normalisation of interference in law enforcement.

Civil society groups have also weighed in, warning that disbanding specialised units without transparency risks undoing years of progress in investigating political killingsa scourge that has haunted KZN for decades.

A system under pressure

The Madlanga Commission was established after explosive claims by former KZN commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who alleged systemic interference in investigations. For communities grappling with assassinations linked to local politics, the commission’s findings could be a turning point.

Masemola’s testimony paints a picture of a police service caught between political directives and constitutional mandates. His words “life goes on” may resonate, but for many families still waiting for justice in political killings, life has not moved forward at all.

Masemola may have survived his day on the witness stand, but his answers have left South Africans with bigger questions about accountability, ministerial overreach, and whether political killings will ever truly be tackled.

{Source: The Citizen}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com