Mchunu Defends Disbanding Political Killings Task Team, Claims Move Boosts National Safety

Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has defended his decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), telling Parliament that such teams are not meant to operate indefinitely.

Appearing before the Ad Hoc Committee, Mchunu explained that task teams have a defined lifespan and that receiving additional funding does not automatically extend their mandate.

He was responding to questions from Advocate Norman Arendse, the committee’s evidence leader, who probed allegations of unlawful disbandment and political interference in the team’s operations.

Minister Clarifies Task Team Structure

Mchunu emphasised the distinction between task teams and units within the police organisation. He said the PKTT was formed with a specific purpose and timeframe, not as a permanent structure.

He further noted that when he gave the directive, the goal was to expand the benefits of specialised policing beyond KwaZulu-Natal.

“Remember, by the time we approved the structure, we had the imperatives of the seventh administration, which, among others, says you need to make the people of South Africa — all of them — feel safe, not some of them somewhere,” Mchunu said.

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According to the suspended minister, keeping the PKTT active indefinitely could undermine other policing units across the country.

“They are going to sit and not do their work because the Political Killings Task Team is there. That’s what you are finding in Gauteng, for instance,” he explained.

Mchunu insisted his directive sought to reallocate resources and restore balance among various law enforcement operations, ensuring that safety efforts reach all provinces equally.

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