Factional Battles Over PKTT Disbandment Delayed Probes Into 121 Political Killings, Madlanga Commission Told

The Madlanga Commission has been told that deep factional tensions within the South African Police Service (SAPS) leadership stalled progress on 121 politically linked murder investigations.

Acting deputy national police commissioner for crime detection, Hilda Senthumule, detailed how bitter disputes over the future of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) paralysed critical investigative work.

Commissioners expressed concern that SAPS management repeatedly failed to address the disbandment of the task team, describing the situation as a clear disregard for the law.

Police Power Struggles Blamed for Stalled Political Killing Probes

Senthumule told the commission she had been assigned in May to implement a comprehensive audit of the 121 dockets that had been removed from the PKTT and to oversee their return to their original stations.

She explained that she encountered significant pushback from KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi when attempting to send the cases back to the province.

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“He didn’t say to me not to bring the dockets; he said to me, ‘If you bring the dockets, know this, I won’t be responsible for them.'”

Her testimony highlighted the extent to which tensions within senior police ranks obstructed the handling of politically sensitive cases.

Commission Slams Police Leadership for Failing Victims

Madlanga co-commissioner, Advocate Sandile Khumalo, criticised senior SAPS officials for allowing internal conflicts to take precedence over justice for victims.

“All of you, from General Masemola, General Sibiya, yourself, General Khumalo. You let the victims of crime down because these are now internal squabbles at senior national police level and it is impacting victims of crime.”

The dockets were finally returned to the PKTT in August—four months after they were moved to Pretoria—raising further concerns about oversight and accountability in politically motivated murder investigations.

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