disbandmentDecember 2024E000010
PKTT disbandment directive
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.
Described by 2 witnesses
Each of these people gave first-hand evidence about this event. Several accounts of the same event is a property of the record — it is not verification, and witnesses can be mistaken together.
46 claims from testimony
"we have proposed that the following steps be taken to wind down the PKTT"
"No new dockets would be taken by or allocated to the PKTT"
"you had basically accepted that the PKTT be disbanded"
"I had to end up saying, well, if we do it your way, I do not accept, but let us rather do it my way."
"you had actually relented and accepted that the PKTT should be disbanded"
"you say it must be wound down, but it must be wound down in a phased manner"
"that is what I end up proposing to the Minister that yes, maybe this is the way to go"
"which was still not accepted"
"we were directed not to fill working post"
"which I was against"
"I do not want this immediate disbandment of now"
"one adopted the approach that we do not wind down, the team must proceed"
"a focal point of contention between me and the newly appointed Minister of Police"
"This tension was eased quickly"
"I advised the Minister that the decision to return the dockets was taken"
"this resolved the impasse"
"the minister, Minister Mcunu, had written a letter in terms of which he purported to disband the PKTT."
"we as Commissioners have not decided whether the power to disband vests in him or in the National Commissioner, we are yet to decide that."
"is it not so that at the time you signed this document, you were already aware that the PKTT had been disbanded or purportedly disbanded?"
"disbandment or purported disbandment was controversial."
"it was out there by the beginning of the year, after the 2nd of January 2025, the letter disbanding."
"in March there was a parliamentary engagement where General Mkhwanazi among others addressed the Ad Hoc."
"arising out of that there was media coverage of that."
"at least in March it was a topical issue."
"I fully agree with Commissioner Khumalo."
"the newspapers and press would have been replete with comments regarding PKTT by the 6th of July."
"The Chair had requested that we scan the landscape and try and determine the extent to which this matter was addressed in the public domain and in newspapers"
"our Head of Communications, Mr Jeremy Michaels who undertook this massive task for us"
"I specifically asked you whether if you were aware that there was an issue around the PKTT and its disbandment, you would not have been alert in your mind and raised specific issues with regard to this paragraph 6"
"I also asked you about whether if this was publicized, the issue of the purported disbandment or disbandment of the PKT team, if it was out there, whether you would have been aware of that"
"there were numerous articles in broadcast, electronic print, online"
"regarding the disbandment of the PKTT"
"you must have seen publications around the disbandment of the PKTT"
"it was a controversial subject"
"It was, yes."
"you were not really aware that, as at that time, at the time you signed this summons, you were aware that there was any issue about the PKTT"
"the issue raised some controversy"
"I was unaware of a PKTT investigation"
"you were not aware of a PKTT investigation"
"you were not truthful when you suggested that you were not really aware of any issues around the PKTT which would have caused alarm bells to ring in your mind."
"it was a police matter at the time that it was being canvassed."
"I did say I have read about the PKTT."
"I honestly cannot remember the dates."
"Not in my presence."
"I cannot remember discussing the PKTT with the Minister."
"But I cannot recall talking to him about the PKTT."