Senzo Mchunu presents 'evidence' of alleged crimes by Political Killings Task Team

Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has handed the Madlanga Judicial Commission of inquiry an envelope he says contains details of alleged wrongdoing and crimes allegedly committed by members of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).

In his evidence, Mchunu told the commission, chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, investigating allegations of criminality, political interference, and corruption in the criminal justice system, that the “brown envelope” he handed contains details of the PKTT’s alleged crimes.

“I appeal favourably to the commission to listen to those people that I submitted, the eight names, so that the commission can know and determine whether my assessment was actually correct as to be part of what would have influenced me to write the directive,” he said.

The commission had advised him to seek advice from his legal team after revealing the existence of the allegations against the PKTT members.

Mchunu accepted his lawyers’ advice.

“I could not write that because if I wrote that, that would mean I would be breaching confidentiality that these people contacted me and made reports based on confidentiality arising from their security,” he explained.

Mchunu stated that his office received numerous complaints and reports from civil society actors, whistle-blowers, members of the SA Police Service (SAPS), Parliament, and the public.

“These reports raised concerns about human rights abuses by members of the PKTT, governance failures affecting the various temporary and Ad Hoc task teams, including but not limited to the PKTT,” he explained.

According to Mchunu, the matters reported were not that simple.

“In the first place, a person comes to you in confidence and then says I am afraid I have fears for my life, but I trust you, I am going to share with you one, two, three,” he stated.

Mchunu said he knew of one case of someone who wrote to the National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, but did not enquire whether Masemola responded.

“I discussed with (special advisor) Advocate (Vusi) Pikoli, and we resolved that a possible option is an inquiry because if these things are true, they are quite grave matters not just of HR (human resources), there are issues of security, and there are alleged murders in them as well,” he added.

Mchunu continued: “I had no reason, even without verification, to doubt that but I accept that there would need to be a platform that verifies, but they were serious enough and I’m honest with the commission, serious enough, detailed enough with anecdotes to convince me that indeed they are serious and they need to be processed in a particular way.”

He added that there is a Member of Parliament who wrote to his ministry, and his matter was then processed in a particular way.

The commission identified the MP as the National Coloured Congress’s Fadiel Adams.

Among Mchunu’s reasons for the disbandment of the PKTT on December 31, 2024, are unclear reporting lines, overreach, duplication of functions, and strain on SAPS financial resources.

The commission continues.

loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za