Expert: Mchunu lacked authority to disband KZN Killings Task Team
An expert has told the Madlanga Commission that suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu did not have the authority to give a directive to disband the KZN Political Killings Task Team.
Head of Governance, Legislation and Policy at the Legal Services Division at SAPS, Petronella van Rooyen is an expert on legislative framework governing the SAPS.
She is the third witness to testify before the commission that's investigating KZN Police Chief Nhlanhla Mkwanazi's claims of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system.
Mkhwanazi has alleged Mchunu moved to disband the team after members cracked a criminal syndicate linked to a drug cartel and several high profile murders.
Van Rooyen's testimony on Thursday is key to National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola's claim that Mchunu's decision was unlawful, as it encroached on his duty as police chief.
ALSO READ: Masemola wraps up testimony at Madlanga Commission
The expert has told the commission that ministers deal with national policing policy direction while commissioners deal with operational matters.
"It relates to the operations, investigating cases, operations of a police officer, in other words, the execution of the police's mandate in terms of section 2053,” Van Rooyen said.
"If we say the national commissioner is responsible to manage and control the police service, that must be linked to manage and control the police service in the execution of its constitutional mandate.
“The decision of a minister to close a political task team that was responsible for the investigation of crime, in my view, fell outside a mandate or authority of the minister."
Find us on social media
Follow the ECR Newswatch WhatsApp channel here
MORE ON ECR:
