Madlanga Commission | Why 121 political killing dockets were moved, then abandoned

SAPS acting deputy national commissioner, Lt-Gen. Khosi Senthumule, has admitted that police leadership “let the victims of crime down,” apologising to the victims after months of internal squabbles at SAPS left dockets gathering dust at police headquarters in Pretoria.

Testifying before the Madlanga Commission on Friday, Senthumule acknowledged that decisions within SAPS were made hastily, poorly coordinated, and ultimately harmful to the public.

“The decisions we make have far-reaching implications. The process being hasty didn’t help. We didn’t have time to learn, to say what happens next — we just acted as we moved along,” she said.

“I do agree with you, and I think we do owe this nation an apology.”

The commission had been probing why 121 Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) dockets were quietly transferred from KZN to SAPS headquarters without the knowledge of the PKTT head, Lt-Gen. Dumisani Khumalo, or KZN Police Commissioner Lt-Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

Testimony presented so far alleges that the suspended deputy commissioner, Shadrack Sibiya ordered the removal of the dockets.

According to Senthumule, this decision contradicted normal procedure and shocked provincial leadership.

Senthumule reinforced this, saying:“You don’t take a docket from its place of origin for auditing.”

The commission also heard that once the dockets were transported to Pretoria, they sat untouched for months under Sibiya’s command, with no backup plan to ensure continuity in investigations.

Adding to conflicts, was decision by suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who disbanded the PKTT through a December 31, 2024 directive, arguing the unit “no longer added value” to SAPS.

The PKTT had been responsible for investigating politically linked killings and organised violence in KZN — processes described to the commission as “complex, intelligence-driven, and requiring uninterrupted collaboration.”

KZN police commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has publicly distanced himself from the docket debacle, telling the commission he would not take responsibility for decisions he was not part of.

He has also made allegations — now before the commission — that Mchunu interfered in operational policing matters and destabilised the province’s crime-fighting structures.

Co-commissioner Adv. Sandile Khumalo told Senthumule that the SAPS leadership including Masemola, Sibiya, and Khumalo let the victims of crime down.

“These were internal squabbles at senior national police level, and they affected the public,” he said.

Senthumule agreed, noting that while the damage could no longer be undone, SAPS should have paused, regrouped and acted collectively.

The commission has adjourned until Monday.

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za

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