President Cyril Ramaphosa is under increasing pressure to intervene amid growing discontent within the South African Police Service (SAPS) over the performance of its political killings task team. Confidential reports reveal deep concerns among senior officers about the unit’s inefficiency, ballooning costs, and internal divisions.
The task team, established to combat politically motivated assassinations—particularly in KwaZulu-Natal—has struggled to curb the surge in killings of councillors and activists. Despite heavy resources, investigations have been marred by operational overlaps with provincial units, unclear leadership, and poor conviction rates.
“There’s no coordination—just wasted budgets and frustrated detectives,” one insider told *The Sunday Times*.
Ramaphosa recently held crisis talks with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and top commissioners, but faces a delicate challenge: reforming the unit without exacerbating SAPS’s internal rifts. With by-elections looming and public trust eroding, affected communities await decisive action—not another failed security initiative.
The presidency has yet to announce concrete steps, but sources confirm the matter remains “a top priority.” For now, the task team’s future—and SAPS’s credibility—hang in the balance.
