Masemola Slams Disbanding Of Political Killings Task Team As “Suspicious And Questionable”

National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, has strongly criticised Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s December 2024 directive to dissolve the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), calling it both “suspicious and questionable”.

Masemola, testifying before a parliamentary inquiry on Thursday, said the move appeared to have a deeper agenda. “With time it proved the motive of the directive was not necessarily simply closure of the team.

It was an act directed to make sure the operations in Gauteng were scrambled and could not proceed,” he told the committee.

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The inquiry was established to probe the alleged unlawful disbandment of the PKTT, the suspension of recruitment within Crime Intelligence, and claims of corruption and interference by senior SAPS officials and politicians.

Masemola said he only became aware of Mchunu’s directive on 2 January this year — two days after it was signed — despite having spent the previous week with the minister. “I was shocked and surprised. For such serious and strategic issues, the timing and manner were very strange,” he stated.

Cellphone Discovery Reveals Possible Motive

Masemola further revealed that following the arrest of businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, investigators discovered a cellphone in his possession containing messages that hinted at the motive behind the PKTT’s disbandment.

“The PKTT made us aware that they had found messages on his phone that indicated the real motive behind the disbandment of the team. It was to circumvent the arrest of Matlala and others,” Masemola said.

He added that the directive had disrupted vital operations in Gauteng and undermined the team’s ongoing investigations.

Ramaphosa ‘Surprised’ by Mchunu’s Directive

Masemola told the inquiry that he opposed the immediate disbandment of the task team and instead preferred a phased winding-down process. After failing to obtain an explanation from Mchunu, he escalated the matter to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

According to Masemola, the president was unaware of the directive. “The impression was that he did not know about the matter. Of course, I don’t expect him to know. It is much more of an operational matter,” he explained. He said Ramaphosa appeared “surprised and shocked” when informed.

At the time of its dissolution in February 2025, the PKTT was handling 612 dockets — with 125 still under investigation, 114 in court, and 217 finalised. Masemola praised the unit’s record, saying it had been instrumental in curbing politically motivated murders.

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“They were successful with investigations and bringing people who committed murders to account,” he said, noting that the Inter-Ministerial Committee had expressed satisfaction with the team’s work.

Masemola concluded that Mchunu’s decision to disband the PKTT was made without valid justification. “The minister never said anything about his unhappiness about the team and about his intention to disband it,” he said.

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