ANC Takes Aim At Masemola Over Mchunu’s Crime Intelligence Directive

The criticism was made during the parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee’s deliberations on its draft report on Wednesday night, with the ANC calling for its position to be included in the committee’s final report. The committee is examining allegations of corruption, criminal infiltration and political interference in the criminal justice system.

The ANC argued that Masemola, as the accounting officer, should have resisted Mchunu’s instruction to halt the filling of vacant positions within Crime Intelligence. Mchunu’s directive also included the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team, an issue that has been central to the parliamentary inquiry.

ANC Says Masemola Should Have Challenged Mchunu

ANC MP Khusela Sangoni argued that Masemola should have recognised the limits of the minister’s authority and challenged the directive rather than comply with it.

“He ought to have known and he should know and I’m quite certain that he is aware that that power resides with him. I think it would be very remiss of us not to send a very strong message that is meant to empower accounting officers to resist this political pressure.”

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The ANC’s submission comes as committee members continue to debate how responsibility should be attributed for decisions surrounding Crime Intelligence and the Political Killings Task Team. The committee has previously heard evidence that the national commissioner has authority over the establishment and disbandment of police task teams.

Masemola Said Resisting Directive Could Have Cost Him His Career

Committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane provided a different account of Masemola’s position.

According to Lekganyane, Masemola had indicated that directly resisting Mchunu’s instruction could have had consequences for his career, which contributed to his decision not to object to the directive.

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The disagreement places the conduct of the former national commissioner alongside the broader question of how political and operational authority should operate within SAPS. The committee was specifically established to examine, among other issues, the alleged unlawful disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team and the alleged moratorium on filling Crime Intelligence vacancies.

Mchunu Directive Remains Under Parliamentary Scrutiny

The directive to halt Crime Intelligence appointments has been a recurring issue in the parliamentary inquiry. In his witness statement to the committee, Mchunu acknowledged directing that processes to fill vacant Crime Intelligence posts be halted pending discussions with Masemola, citing allegations concerning recruitment and appointment practices within the division.

The committee has also previously been divided over how to interpret Mchunu’s directive to disband the Political Killings Task Team, with different parties reaching different conclusions about what the evidence establishes.

The latest ANC submission will now form part of the committee’s ongoing deliberations as MPs work towards completing the draft report. Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee has been granted another extension to finalise its work, with Speaker Thoko Didiza urging members to conclude the inquiry and remain within its mandate.