Mchunu believed no political killings in SA since '94, Madlanga Commission told
The country's head of police has told the Madlanga Commission that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu believes there have been no
political killings in South Africa since 1994.
Fannie Masemola continued his testimony at the commission into allegations of political interference within the criminal justice system on Monday.
He spoke of Mchunu's conduct during a meeting of the police's top brass in Cape Town in March.
”When the meeting started, I asked the minister can you provide this forum or these officers that are here, what is the reason for disbanding this Political Killings Task Team? Because we're planning a disbandment, we are disbanding. We must table a plan. You want immediate disbandment, I suggest winding down. There's no agreement. But what are the reasons for this disbandment?”
Mchunu tried to disband the unit in December, arguing that it no longer added value to the country's policing.
But Masemola said the reasons the minister gave in his disbandment letter weren't convincing.
The commissioner said Mchunu was never briefed by him, KZN police chief Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi or Crime Intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo prior to the decision
”Later in that meeting, he responded that political killings took place somewhere pre-1994 and not after. That statement is not accurate. It's not true that what is happening now is just matters. No, it wasn't just matters, just murder of politicians.
"Reason being related to politics is either within a party about issues of succession or from party to another party. Those were what we call political killing. So, they were happening after '94. Even now, they're still happening."
Mkhwanazi claims Mchunu's decision to disband the team was influenced by the discovery of a criminal syndicate that's infiltrated the justice system.
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