Madlanga inquiry: Suspended Mchunu grilled over why he 'targeted the PKTT'

Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu, who is on a special leave, was taken to task over his decision to dissolve the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) with immediate effect through a letter dated December 31, 2024. 

This was during his testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, where he defended his decision, stating that the PKTT's existence was not adding value to policing.

He cited a 2019 work-study report recommending the task team's disestablishment and absorption into a strengthened murder and robbery unit.

When pressed about what he meant by “immediately” he said: “This immediately is not like switching off.”  

However, Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga said: "When I was taught English in my younger days they would say an adverb modifies a verb and an adjective qualifies a noun. So, your immediately is an adverb. Which verb in your sentence does it modify or does it talk to?" 

According to Madlanga, the use of the word “immediately” related to the de-establishment of the task team as captured in the letter.

Mchunu clarified that his use of "immediately" in the letter meant he had made the decision promptly, pending other processes, including a preliminary report from National SAPS Commissioner General Fannie Masemola.

He said he expected Masemola’s response to shed light on how the directive would be implemented.

Co-commissioner Advocate Sandile Khumalo SC said: "My reading of it is that something must be done immediately, not that you have made an immediate decision that something must happen in the future." 

But Mchunu stuck to his guns, saying "immediately" indicated that "even if you are not switching off now, switch on in the process".

Madlanga asked him why he “dropped a bombshell” on December 31, 2024 despite acknowledging “a very good” working relationship with Masemola, who he failed to brief prior his decision.

Part of Mchunu’s answer was that the PKTT was initially designed for six months, but Madlanga dismissed this, saying it "doesn't make sense" as an explanation for dissolving it suddenly.

Mchunu testified that the November 2024 meetings did not discuss disbanding the PKTT.

He, however, said Masemola was best placed within SAPS to brief him on whether the PKTT should have been disbanded or not.

He defended the "big rush" to disband the PKTT, stating it was to implement a long-overdue decision and citing the unjustified costs of running the task team. He admitted he did not compare the PKTT budget with other task teams before deciding its cost was not justified.

The commission questioned him if there had been other disbanded task teams, but he replied that no other task team was previously disbanded because the rest fell within Masemola’s purview.

“Why did you pick on the PKTT?” Madlanga asked.

Mchunu stated the decision to disband PKTT was based on their assessment, focusing on budget impact and related matters.

He said the idea to disband the PKTT struck him between December 29 to 31, 2024.

He referenced a disbandment report which was prepared after he had already taken a decision to disband, stating the report showed the PKTT's objective had been met.

“He (Masemola) supported the directive in full,” he said.

According to the report, the SAPS would handle outstanding dockets and court cases previously managed by the PKTT.

The report further outlined steps to wind down the PKTT while safeguarding ongoing investigations and court processes.

“The 128 will be retained by the task team and investigations will be finalised and an audit will be done of those dockets still under investigation in order to establish which dockets could be returned to the station of origin or allocated to other investigations units within SAPS,” said the report.

The report stated the team's scale-down hinged on the 115 pending court dockets, expecting completion by end of 2025 depending on the court processes.

Mchunu's testimony will resume on Friday.

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