SAPS National Commissioner Fannie Masemola has strongly criticized Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s directive to dissolve the Political Killings Task Team, calling it “a total encroachment” into the authority of her office.
Masemola made the remarks this morning while testifying at the Madlanga Commission, which is probing allegations of political interference and instability within law enforcement structures.
The Commissioner stressed that while Ministers are empowered to provide strategic direction, the Constitution and police legislation place operational and managerial control firmly under the National Commissioner.
“The Minister gives direction, but it is my responsibility to implement it,” Masemola told the Commission. “Disbanding a specialized unit is not a policy matter; it is an operational decision, and that authority lies with the National Commissioner.”
The Political Killings Task Team, established to investigate politically motivated murders in KwaZulu-Natal and other hotspots, has handled some of the country’s most high-profile cases in recent years. Its sudden disbandment order by the Minister has raised questions about political will to tackle such crimes decisively.
Masemola warned that ministerial instructions in operational matters risk undermining the independence of the SAPS and could compromise sensitive investigations. “Deciding to disband a specialized task team without consultation is beyond the Minister’s authority,” she said. “It constitutes an encroachment into the mandate of the National Commissioner.”
Legal and policing experts say the dispute highlights a long-standing tension between political oversight and operational independence in the country’s security cluster. While the Minister is mandated to set broad policing priorities, day-to-day decisions—such as forming or dissolving investigative teams—fall squarely under the Commissioner’s jurisdiction.
The controversy has already drawn sharp public attention, with civil society organizations warning that political meddling in operational policing could weaken trust in the fight against violent crime. Opposition parties have also demanded clarity from both the Minister and the Commissioner on the future of the task team.
The Commission is expected to summon Minister Mchunu later this week to explain the rationale behind his directive. For now, Masemola’s testimony has laid bare a power struggle at the heart of South Africa’s policing system—one that could have significant consequences for accountability and public confidence in law enforcement.
