Pretoria – National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has drawn a clear line between his operational authority and the Police Minister’s political role as he testified before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria.
Masemola, the second witness to appear before the commission, said he would only comply with instructions from the Minister if they were lawful, stressing that the constitutional framework “removes operational and managerial control from the hands of political actors”.
He said the Minister of Police holds political control and accountability, while the National Commissioner holds managerial and operational control over how directives to combat crime are implemented.
He accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of “encroaching” on his authority by ordering the immediate disbandment of the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team in December 2024 without proper consultation.
[WATCH] Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola says Minister Senzo Mchunu’s order to disband the Political Killings Task Team was “totally an encroachment into the mandate of the national commissioner.” #MandlangaCommission #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/ZXK17adtI2
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) September 22, 2025
“If ever he found anything wrong with the task team, he could say: ‘Task team, I think you could disband it and we can engage on the why and how.’ But to go further to say ‘disband now’ is a total encroachment of my mandate in terms of the performance of my duties,” Masemola told the commission.
KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has alleged the decision to disband the task team was politically motivated and aimed at shielding powerful individuals involved in crime. His explosive claims of corruption and collusion within the criminal justice system, made public in July, prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to establish the Madlanga Commission.
Retired acting chief Justice Mbuyiseni Madlanga presses Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola on whether he would follow an order from the police minister if it had no legal foundation.
Masemola replied that while refusing such an instruction might be “career… pic.twitter.com/A2OqhRNIRM
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) September 22, 2025
Masemola is expected to face further questioning on the disbandment of the task team, the Minister’s role in operational policing matters and broader efforts to combat violent crime in South Africa.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
