Mkhwanazi: KZN Political Killings Task Team ‘worked with reduced budget’
Questions about what became of the KZN Political Killings Task Team after an attempt to disband it took centre stage at the Madlanga Commission on Thursday morning.
KZN's police chief, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, continued his testimony at the inquiry in Pretoria on day two of the commission’s public hearings.
In his July claims, Mkhwanazi said that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu sought to dissolve the task team, allegedly after the unit helped Gauteng detectives uncover a syndicate that had infiltrated the criminal justice system.
On Wednesday, Mkhwanazi said that he wasn't consulted before the decision was made.
He says he tried contacting the minister several times, but meetings never materialised.
ALSO READ: Mkhwanazi: Sibiya gave nod for Political Killings team to stay in place
He was asked to explain what became of the task team after the instruction was received to disband it.
"That the instruction was not officially given to me,” he told the commission.
"It'll have been sent to the national commissioner, and the national commissioner did not communicate anything to me. But what I know is that the team continued working. It never stopped. However, the number of members that were deployed in the team was reduced.
“Now, perhaps the reason for the reduction of the total number of personnel deployed might have been influenced by the budget. There are quite a lot of police officers who withdrew and went back to their stations, whereas others remained."
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa and former president Jacob Zuma will also face off in the High Court in Pretoria on Thursday.
Zuma’s MK Party is challenging Ramaphosa’s decision to place Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave and appoint Professor Firoz Cachalia as acting minister.
ALSO READ: Mkhwanazi to break silence at Madlanga Commission
The party says the move is unlawful, accusing Ramaphosa of shielding Mchunu.
The case follows claims by the KZN police commissioner that Mchunu tried to disband the Political Killings Task Team.
Mchunu has denied the allegations.
Find us on social media
Follow the ECR Newswatch WhatsApp channel here
MORE ON ECR:
