SC0003
PKTT (Political Killings Task Team) disbandment
Minister Mchunu's directive to disband the PKTT. Mkhwanazi alleges interference. Disputed presidential-status. Multiple disbandment plans (Dec 2024, March 2025).
18 events3 contradictions
People in this scheme
Sehlahle Fannie Masemola27Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu13Calvin Rafadi1Lt Gen Samuel Dumisani Khumalo1
Timeline of events
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2018-06-18 – 2018-07-01
The National Commissioner approved the PKTT structure on 18 June 2018, and the team became operational in July 2018, starting work on 1 July 2018.
occurred on: The first material date is July 2018 and that is when the Political Killings Task Team was officially launched
occurred on: The first material date is July 2018 and that is when the Political Killings Task Team was officially launched
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3 August 2018
The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) received the first progress report from the PKTT and directed it to urgently solve all high-profile political killings.
purpose: it was during this briefing where the PKTT gave their first progress report to the IMC
directive content: To urgently attend and solve all high - profile cases and the ongoing political killings.
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2019
A work study commissioned by SAPS recommended that the PKTT be absorbed into permanent murder and robbery units.
recommendation: which recommended the resuscitation of the murder and robbery unit and the absorption or envisaged absorption of the National Political Killings Task Team or functions into the permanent structure
compliance with: it would run against the letter and spirit of the work study as they adopted it in 2019
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31 March 2024
The PKTT's mandate was extended to 31 March 2025, and budget approval was granted for the 2024/25 financial year — despite a 2019 work study recommending absorption into permanent units.
purpose: It was a request for a financial authority for the financial year 2024/2025 of the National Task Team investigating political related cases in KZN, which is PKTT.
approval end date: The current phase of the task team was approved up until 2024-03-31.
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3 July 2024
Senzo Mchunu assumed office as the Minister of Police on 3 July 2024.
employment: Since the Minister Mchunu assumed office, I think it was May 2024
date: the current Minister of Police only assumed office on the 3rd of July 2024
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October 2024
Minister Mchunu received letters from Mary de Haas (31 October 2024) and Patricia Mashale alleging human rights abuses and governance failures by the PKTT.
continued to receive and read material from: I continued to receive and I continued to read , but I never actually sat down to deal with the matters that she was raising
addressee: Ms de Haas, on the 31st of October 2024, wrote a letter specifically to you, the Honourable Minister of Police, Mr Senzo Mchunu
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1 November 2024
Minister Mchunu directed the SAPS Executive Committee to reconsider and review the PKTT's capabilities and consider disbandment.
stated action: I instructed Brigadier Lethoko of my office to forward the letter from the Minister to all Deputy National Commissioners, including Lt-Gen Sibiya, to instruct them to prepare the necessary report.
discussion subject: On the 1s t of November, we discussed this matter
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22 November 2024
Another meeting was held to review the PKTT, continuing discussions from 1 November.
meeting purpose: And on the 22n d it was the same
✕
December 2024
The Minister of Police directed disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team in late 2024. General Masemola refused immediate compliance and proposed a phased wind-down; the dispute continued into early 2025.
proposed action: we have proposed that the following steps be taken to wind down the PKTT
proposed action: No new dockets would be taken by or allocated to the PKTT
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6 December 2024
A combat team operation on 6 December 2024, involving PKTT members, allegedly led to a concerted effort by the Minister to disband the team.
stated belief: the whole purpose of the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team was born out of the operation of the 6 December 2024
deployment purpose: for this particular operation now on the 6 t h , we had to also get the support from the PKTT for the combat team to come and assist
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31 December 2024
Minister Mchunu sent a letter to the National Commissioner directing the immediate disbandment of the PKTT.
dated: It is in fact dated 31 December
dated: it is the 31st of December
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2025-01-01 – 2025-01-02
The disbandment letter was leaked on social media on 1 January 2025 and made public on 2 January 2025.
went public date: this letter went out to the public first on the 2 n d of January
disbandment awareness date: It was floating on social media from about the 3rd of January.
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15 January 2025
Lt-Gen Masemola refused to sign a letter for immediate disbandment of the PKTT, advocating for a phased wind-down.
refused to sign: I will not sign his letter because it does not even take that winding down plan
signed letter: I did not sign the letter
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17 January 2025
Lt-Gen Sibiya wrote a letter on 17 January 2025 instructing the immediate deactivation of the PKTT, conveying the Minister's directive.
content: On the 31st of December 2024 the Minister of Police issued a directive to the National Commissioner to immediately deactivate and disband the NTTPK.
subject matter: pertaining to the disbandment of the PKTT
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20 January 2025
Lt-Gen Masemola submitted a preliminary report to Minister Mchunu, recommending a phased disbandment and arguing against immediate dissolution.
submitted for: I already submitted a report to the Minister, the one that was due on the 20th
content: I described or I was explaining to the Minister that if you disband this team, this is the best way on the how part
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6 March 2025
Lt-Gen Masemola and Lt-Gen Khumalo presented to Minister Mchunu a phased disbandment plan on 6 March 2025.
presented to: Lieutenant General Khumalo presented the PKTT's successes to Minister Senzo Mchunu
purpose: in an effort to convince him that his decision to disband the PKTT was ill - advised
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17 March 2025
Lt-Gen Masemola gave the last briefing to the President on the PKTT before its disbandment.
significance: This was the last briefing to the President on the PKTT before its disbandment
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27 March 2025
Minister Mchunu expressed anger at the meeting on 27 March 2025 because the PKTT had taken on additional dockets despite the disbandment directive, and he directed that further engagements would be only with the National Commissioner.
purpose: a follow-up meeting was held regarding the implementation of the PKTT disbandment plan
anger reason: What made him angry was that in the proposed plan somewhere we said the PKTT is not going to take further cases and when you look at the figures you could see that there is an increase in the work of
Contradictions linked to this scheme
◎ Likely — AI-assisted, cited
Annexure MK9 — disestablishment letter signed by Minister Mchunu, dated 31 Decem — (cross-phrasing)
Same letter cannot be both issued 31 Jan 2024 and dated 31 Dec 2024; dates are mutually exclusive.
◎ Likely — AI-assisted, cited
Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu — (cross-phrasing)
Both refer to Mchunu's start as Minister of Police; May 2024 vs 3 July 2024 cannot both be the appointment date.
◎ Likely — AI-assisted, cited
Sehlahle Fannie Masemola — (cross-phrasing)
Report was due on the 20th but was actually delivered on the 22nd, contradicting claim of timely submission.