Police Minister Mchunu ‘furious’ as Task Team keeps making arrests, Masemola tells commission
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has revealed that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was left furious after learning that the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) continued making arrests despite his order to disband it.
Testifying before the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry, Masemola said Mchunu’s anger was sparked in March when the task team made progress in a high-profile case linking suspects to the murder of ANC councillor Phendukani Mabhida in KwaZulu-Natal.
Masemola described the minister’s reaction as “strange,” noting it was unusual for a political head to be upset over police successfully solving cases.
He added that Mchunu never provided clear reasons for his decision to dissolve the PKTT, which had been established in 2018 to tackle politically motivated killings.
The commissioner told the inquiry he had requested a phased winding down of the unit to safeguard ongoing investigations, but the minister remained adamant about disbanding it.
Mchunu has since been suspended, while the commission continues probing allegations of political interference in police operations.