Madlanga Commission | Matlala arrest exposed motive behind Task Team disbandment: Masemola

National Police Commissioner, Fannie Masemola, revealed that phone records of controversial businessman Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala showed that plans to disband the Political Killings Task Team were already in motion as early as December 2024.

Masemola returned to the stand at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria, to testify on various issues relating to the disbanding of the task team, high-profile arrests, and alleged misconduct in the police service.

Wrapping up his testimony, Masemola responded to allegations made last week by Mkhwanazi, who accused senior police officials of gross misconduct and criminality.

Masemola claimed that Matlala’s phone also revealed links to his deputy, Sibiya, and suspended police minister, Senzo Mchunu.

He said following Mkhwanazi’s July briefing, he ordered a search of Matlala’s cell. Investigators found and analysed a cellphone that revealed communication between Sibiya — allegedly acting on behalf of Mchunu — discussing the disbandment.

Masemola said those behind the move believed that by requesting 121 dockets from the KZN team and immediately disbanding it, the work in Gauteng would collapse — but it did not. Instead, it exposed further allegations against Matlala and uncovered more crimes within the police force.

Masemola said he eventually met Mchunu in person on March 6 to get the real reason for the disbandment, as he was not satisfied with the explanation given in the minister’s December letter.

According to Masemola, Mchunu replied that political killings only occurred before 1994.

He said Matlala’s arrest shed light on the reasons behind the disbandment of the political killings task team and the transfer of 121 of its dockets.

He told the commission that while he initially did not fully understand Mchunu’s directive to dissolve the team, he now believes the move aimed to gain oversight of dockets involving him, including the case of murdered Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart, which were transferred from KwaZulu-Natal to Pretoria to closely monitor their contents.

Masemola revealed that between March and July, no investigative work was conducted on the transferred dockets in Pretoria. He also disclosed that he denied a request for additional funding for a new team to conclude the cases, explaining that his decision was based on the fact that there was already a functioning team in KwaZulu-Natal.

While he never expressed it publicly, he admitted he viewed Mchunu’s disbandment of the task team as unlawful.

 

Masemola also revealed that some members of Parliament accepted the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team without opposition.

He said Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police did not object when he, Mkhwanazi, and Mchunu appeared before them in March. Masemola told the commission that Parliament accepted Mchunu’s claim that the task team had achieved its objectives.

The Police Commissioner also said Mkhwanazi had raised certain allegations about Mchunu, prompting the evidence leader, Advocate Terry Motaung, to ask whether the portfolio committee acted on the claims.

He said nothing was done.

 

The national commissioner added that his order to return the dockets to KwaZulu-Natal became a point of tension between himself and acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia.

The commission is expected to hear from its next witness on Thursday.

Written by: Lebohang Ndashe