Ramaphosa agreed with the decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team – Mchunu

Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has alleged that President Cyril Ramaphosa agreed with his directive to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), roping the ANC President into the controversy.

“I briefed the President on the disbanding of the PKTT, and he agreed with the briefing,” Mchunu told Members of Parliament on Friday.

Mchunu appeared for the second day of his testimony before Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating the allegations made by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in July.

These allegations spotlight Mchunu’s directive to disband the PKTT, claiming that he did so to obstruct an investigation into criminal networks and that South Africa’s police and criminal justice system are, as a result, captured.

Following the allegations, Ramaphosa announced a commission of inquiry and placed Mchunu on special leave pending investigation.

While having his statement cross-examined by Senior Counsel Norman Arendse, Mchunu said that he briefed Ramaphosa on the directive issued on 31 December 2024, after the President became aware of it on social media.

The Minister said that Ramaphosa agreed with the decision following the meeting. However, he suggested that he had not furnished the President with his reasoning for issuing the directive.

It is worth noting that Mchunu told MPs the day before that he disbanded the PKTT because it had become redundant, did not fit into the new South African Police Service (SAPS) structure, and had a temporary mandate, and that its funding could have been used elsewhere.

Arendse then questioned whether Ramaphosa could have agreed with the decision following such a short briefing.

Mchunu said that he was unable to recall how long the meeting lasted or when exactly it took place.

ANC MP Xola Nqola highlighted the importance of determining whether the President had, in fact, agreed with Mchunu’s directive, given that Mkhwanazi claimed Ramaphosa had praised the PKTT during a visit to the North West.

EFF leader Julius Malema then asked Mchunu to clarify what Ramaphosa’s reaction to the statement was.

“This is going to be a serious issue. Did the President agree to the disbandment of the PKTT?” Malema asked Mchunu.

“The answer in the affidavit is that I briefed the President, and he agreed with the briefing that I gave him,” Mchunu replied.

The committee’s chair, Soviet Lekgotla, asked him to confirm that the answer to his question was yes, to which he responded, “Yes, as in the affidavit.”

So far, the Presidency has remained outside of the controversy that has consumed the police portfolio.

However, the conflicting evidence provided by witnesses who have appeared before Parliament’s ad hoc committee may necessitate the President’s testimony as a witness before both the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and the committee.