Cape Town – ActionSA MP Dereleen James has criticised National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola for failing to challenge former Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s directive to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).
On December 31, Mchunu sent Masemola a letter instructing him to disband the PKTT, stating the unit’s services were no longer required and of no value in fighting crime.
According to Major-General Petronella van Rooyen of the SAPS legal division, Mchunu lacked a legal mandate to disband the task team.
During the Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating alleged corruption in the criminal justice system, James asked Masemola why he did not directly tell Mchunu that his instruction was unlawful.
Masemola responded, emphasising his efforts to engage the minister.
“Quite a number of times I asked the minister why he was closing the team, and he gave no reasons,” he said.
The letter from Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to National Commissioner Fannie Masemola, dated 31 December 2024, orders major changes within SAPS including halting all Crime Intelligence appointments, demanding a new plan for securing ports of entry, and directing the immediate… pic.twitter.com/L2tL4QqNMz
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) September 26, 2025
He added, “The directive was not a request; it was a clear instruction. I tried to find out the reasons, but I couldn’t get answers. I did everything I could. I engaged him several times, and he shut the door.”
Masemola said he devised an alternative “wind-down” approach because the directive looked “suspicious” to him. “I did the best I could alone. If I’m to be blamed, that’s OK, but I did my best. As we speak today, the team is still in existence,” he told MPs.
ActionSA MP Dereleen James pressed Police Commissioner Gen. Fannie Masemola, asking if Police Minister Senzo Mchunu “wanted to put a stop to the Political Killings Task Team.”
Masemola replied, “Yes… it shows your suspicions were correct.”
James added, “The ANC minister…… pic.twitter.com/UQp3x7MJbz
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) October 10, 2025
James was unimpressed with Masemola’s explanation, arguing that winding down the task team effectively meant giving in to political pressure. “Anyone holding the position of national commissioner should be beyond reproach.
Your response does not reflect that, because you’re speaking about winding down. That is not beyond reproach. Why winding down? Is that not ultimately giving in to the minister? That is allowing political interference in operational matters,” she said.
The MP further accused Masemola of enabling political interference, “The minister made the wrong decision; you should have stood up to it, and you didn’t. That’s a problem for South Africa. We are not here to play games. These are ANC members, and we must name them. You didn’t protect South Africans; you exposed us to drug cartels.”
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has also revealed links between drug cartels and political figures, with crime intelligence boss Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo presenting WhatsApp messages allegedly showing payments from Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to fund ANC events.
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
