SAPS inquiry reveals confusion over Political Killings Task Team disbandment
SAPS Acting Deputy Commissioner, Lt-Gen. Khosi Senthumule, testified before the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria on Friday on the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).
Image: Kamogelo Moichela / IOL News
The SA Police Service (SAPS) divisional commissioner of detective and forensic services, Lieutenant-General Hilda Khosi Senthumule, has revealed her shock at a WhatsApp exchange she had with KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
The judicial commission of inquiry into criminality, political interference, and corruption in the criminal justice system, chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, heard that Mkhwanazi was angered by her bosses after they informed her that the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) was disbanded in December 2024.
Senthumule said Mkhwanazi was confused by the transfer of over a hundred dockets that were dealt with by the PKTT after informing her that the task team was disbanded.
She said she called National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola and informed him that she phoned Mkhwanazi to hand over the PKTT dockets, and he (Mkhwanazi) said he is not taking them and that if the team brought them, he would not be responsible for them.
Senthumule added that another surprise was when Masemola discussed the existence of the PKTT.
“I said to him, General, in all fairness, if General Mkhwanazi refuses the dockets, I don't think we need to even think (about) a new task team. You can't disband a task team and formulate a (new) task team. That is not operationally sound,” she explained.
She added that Masemola advised her to talk to her boss, suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya.
Mkhwanazi said he was confused by her call first, and also her request to say the SAPS in the national head office was bringing the dockets back to the PKTT.
“And he said to me, I don't know what you're talking about. So I then clarified, no, but General, this disbandment, and Mkhwanazi said to me, 'Just hold it there. First of all, I don't know how those dockets got to Pretoria'.
“And secondly, I was not informed of this. And he didn't say to me, 'Don't bring the dockets',” she stated.
The commission will resume on Monday morning with a new witness.
loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za