ZAnews
By True World Chronicle Staff Writer
Scene 1: The WhatsApp That Shook KwaZulu-Natal
Pretoria, 2 January 2025. Summer in the capital city was warm, yet the mood inside KwaZulu-Natal Police Headquarters was anything but. Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, provincial police commissioner, sat at his desk, phone in hand. A notification flashed—a WhatsApp message from a civilian friend.
Attached was an image of a letter from Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, dated 31 December 2024. Its message was simple, yet seismic: the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) was to be “disestablished immediately.” Reasoning? The team was allegedly “adding no value to policing in South Africa.”
No prior warning. No consultations. No operational briefing. Just an order that threatened to unravel years of investigations into political assassinations, corruption, and syndicate-linked violence.
Mkhwanazi recalled later in his testimony to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry:
“I learnt through a WhatsApp message … I had not received any communication from anyone regarding the disestablishment of the team.”
The question hanging over South Africa’s law enforcement establishment was simple but heavy: Who influenced this decision, and why?
Scene 2: The Characters in the Storm
Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi – the KZN Police Commissioner, a veteran officer, and whistleblower in his own right. His role in exposing alleged corruption and operational interference has made him central to this unfolding drama.
Senzo Mchunu – the Police Minister since May 2024, now under scrutiny for allegedly bypassing protocols, issuing orders without operational consultation, and being swayed by unidentified influences.
Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya – Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, recently suspended, accused of ordering the removal of 121 critical case dockets from the PKTT.
Armand Swart – murdered engineer in Vereeniging, whose death unveiled a nexus of corruption, crime syndicates, and potential state interference.
Whistleblowers and investigators – the unnamed officers and prosecutors whose lives were threatened while probing politically sensitive murders and tenders, many of whom remain in fear for their safety.
Retired Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga – chair of the commission, tasked with unraveling the tangled web of political influence, police corruption, and operational mismanagement.
Scene 3: Day One at the Madlanga Commission
17 September 2025. The commission convened in Pretoria, in a room filled with journalists, civil society observers, and family members of political killing victims. Cameras clicked; microphones captured every word.
Mkhwanazi, the first witness, laid out the timeline:
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In July 2025, he held a press conference alleging high-level police corruption.
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President Cyril Ramaphosa responded by establishing the Madlanga Commission, with a preliminary budget of R147.9 million to investigate deeply buried corruption in SAPS.
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The commission’s terms of reference include investigating alleged interference with the PKTT, threats to officers, and the removal of 121 case dockets.
Mkhwanazi described being blindsided by Mchunu’s letter, stating:
“The letter of 2 January created a problem for me as I did not know where it came from … it was delivered through a civilian, not through SAPS processes.”
He detailed how the decision to disband the PKTT was irregular: the minister had no operational authority, bypassed both the Inter-Ministerial Committee and senior police leadership, and applied pressure on his chief of staff to dispatch the directive urgently.
Scene 4: The 121 Dockets – A Tale of Disappearing Justice
Central to Mkhwanazi’s testimony was the removal of 121 dockets from PKTT custody, allegedly directed by Deputy National Commissioner Sibiya.
These dockets contained sensitive information on political killings, tender-related corruption, and syndicate-linked murders. Their removal disrupted investigations and raised fears among officers:
“The decision was going to have a serious impact on the investigation of crime,” Mkhwanazi testified. “I also knew I would face heat about it from the citizens of KZN.”
Some dockets have since been returned to KZN, but only one family had been contacted by police head office, suggesting minimal progress in protecting victims and prosecuting offenders.
The Swart case illustrates the gravity:
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Armand Swart, a whistleblowing engineer, was murdered in April 2024.
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Arrests were made, including a police officer, Michael Pule Tau.
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Bail was granted for Tau, sparking concern and fear among investigators.
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Threats against officers escalated, including followings and verbal intimidation.
Mkhwanazi highlighted that some senior officers had offered bribes to manipulate case outcomes. The investigation revealed links between criminal syndicates, senior police, and possibly politicians—a phenomenon observers might term “deep state interference.”
Don't miss...Behind the WhatsApp: The Disbanding of the Political Killings Task Team, Murder & Deep State in SA
Scene 5: Influence, Shadow Figures, and Political Pressure
Mkhwanazi repeatedly emphasized that he believed someone influenced Minister Mchunu to disband the PKTT, citing that the minister had likely been advised by a “shadowy force” or figure:
“Someone thought that the PKTT was the one responsible for the investigations in Gauteng towards these criminal syndicates … which involved participation of senior officials and politicians.”
Efforts by Mkhwanazi to clarify the situation included:
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Contacting MP Ian Cameron, chair of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Policing.
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Attempting to schedule a meeting with Mchunu, which never materialized.
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Repeatedly knocking on doors within police headquarters to track the decision-making process.
The public picture that emerges is stark: a minister acting on advice from unknown influencers, operational policing sidelined, and lives—both investigators and whistleblowers—placed at risk.
Scene 6: Analysis – Operational Integrity vs Political Expediency
Ministerial overreach: South Africa’s Police Minister sets policy, not operational directives. By bypassing commissioners and the Inter-Ministerial Committee, Mchunu blurred this critical line.
Impact on justice: The disbanding of the PKTT delayed investigations into political killings and corruption. Families of victims were left in limbo; officers feared for their safety.
Organized crime and corruption: The Swart case highlights syndicate connections and the potential for collusion with senior SAPS officials. This aligns with broader concerns over state capture and compromised institutions.
Whistleblower risk: Without proper protection, whistleblowers remain vulnerable, discouraging future reporting of corruption and criminal activity.
Public trust: Decisions that undermine investigative bodies erode confidence in law enforcement. Transparent, accountable processes are critical to restoring faith in SAPS and government institutions.
Scene 7: Questions Hanging Over Minister Mchunu
On day one, the commission posed the following key questions:
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Who did Mchunu consult before dissolving the PKTT?
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Why was Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola or KZN Commissioner Mkhwanazi not involved?
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Why was the Inter-Ministerial Committee bypassed?
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What due diligence was applied in moving 121 dockets?
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Whose advice did Mchunu take to disband the team?
These questions remain unanswered as the commission reconvenes, leaving South Africans awaiting clarity on one of the most significant policing controversies in recent memory.
Scene 8: The Human Cost
Beyond letters, dockets, and directives lies the human toll:
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Investigators threatened, intimidated, and exposed to physical danger.
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Families of political killing victims delayed justice.
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Whistleblowers and honest officers face fear and uncertainty.
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Public trust in SAPS teeters on the edge.
As Mkhwanazi told the commission:
“The decision to disband the task team was misplaced and wrong. The PKTT was operational and critical in investigating criminal syndicates and political killings. Its removal undermines law enforcement.”
Scene 9: The Road Ahead
The Madlanga Commission will continue to investigate:
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Ministerial accountability and decision-making.
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Corruption and influence within SAPS.
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The safety and protection of investigators and whistleblowers.
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Restoration of operational integrity within critical investigative units.
For South Africans, the outcome is about more than one minister or one commission; it is about whether the country can protect those who protect us and ensure justice for victims of political violence.
Suggested Internal Link Anchors (True World Chronicle)
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South Africa’s Political Violence and Assassinations: A History
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Transnet Corruption and Its Link to Organized Crime
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Whistleblowers Under Threat in South Africa
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Operational Policing vs Ministerial Authority in SAPS
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True World Chronicle Special Report: The PKTT and the Future of Policing in KZN
Sources
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Daily Maverick — “Madlanga Commission | Mchunu has big questions to answer as Mkhwanazi starts spilling the beans” (dailymaverick.co.za)
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News24 — “Madlanga Commission: Mkhwanazi praises task team Mchunu disbanded for adding ‘no value’” (news24.com)
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IOL — “Minister Senzo Mchunu faces backlash over disbandment of political killings task team” (iol.co.za)
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Mail & Guardian — “Mkhwanazi: Mchunu not briefed before disbanding political killing task team” (mg.co.za)
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