Madlanga Commission | PKKT members learned of disbandment through social media, says Khumalo

South African Police Service (SAPS) official, Lieutenant Colonel Khumalo, says most members of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) only learned through social media in December last year that they had been disbanded.

Testifying before the Madlanga Commission, Khumalo said the team was stunned by the sudden revelation — a letter announcing the immediate shutdown of the unit went viral while some members were still out investigating cases.

He said he was inundated with calls from distressed officers, describing the moment as “a shock that struck everyone like lightning.”

Khumalo also detailed the dangers faced by the unit, revealing that the PKTT survived three armed attacks during his seven years with the team.

“In all three attacks, I thank God there were no fatalities. The first was in 2019, when our team came under night-time fire in southern KZN while investigating political cases—two members were shot in the lower body but survived. The second and third incidents happened in December 2022. In Phoenix, a suspect followed our team to a garage and opened fire on four members, but they managed to neutralise him. In the third incident, three of our members were shot,” Khumalo said.

121 PKTT dockets ‘left to gather dust’ in Pretoria

Meanwhile, SAPS Major General Mary Motsepe also testified, revealing that the Political Killings Task Team dockets were moved from KwaZulu-Natal to Pretoria in March — without explanation.

Motsepe said she was never told why the PKTT was disbanded and that she was instructed only to “use her discretion” in handling the files.

She told the commission she repeatedly reported faults and gaps in the dockets to Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, but received no solutions.

Pressed by Justice Madlanga, Motsepe conceded that no investigative progress had been made on the cases after they arrived in Pretoria.

The task team was established to address a rise in politically motivated killings in KwaZulu-Natal dating back to 2011. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu disbanded the unit on 31 December 2024.

Meanwhile, Brown Mogotsi — the alleged middleman between suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu and alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala — is expected to take the stand at the Madlanga Commission on Tuesday.

Written by: Odirile Rabalao