Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has questioned the timing of returning 121 dockets to a political killings unit before a judicial inquiry investigates alleged interference in the high-profile cases.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola announced Thursday that the dockets would be returned to the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team. The documents were removed from the unit in March.
Cachalia said Friday he requested a detailed report from Masemola after his appointment but has not received it.
“It is a concern therefore that steps are being taken in relation to this matter before the Commission has had a chance to investigate the issues surrounding the Task Team,” Cachalia said in a statement.
The dockets are central to allegations by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu interfered in police operations.
Mkhwanazi claimed in July that Mchunu ordered Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya to disband the task team and remove the dockets. Mchunu denied the allegations as baseless.
President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed a judicial commission led by retired Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to investigate the claims. The inquiry was scheduled to begin September 1 but has been postponed.
Masemola told reporters at the 27th Interpol African Regional Conference in Cape Town that arrests were not expected soon from the returned dockets.
“The detectives are busy with making copies, and then from there they will be sent back to the provincial commissioner,” Masemola said.
The cases involve murder, attempted murder and intimidation charges related to political violence in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Political Killings Task Team was established in 2019 following recommendations from the Moerane Commission that investigated causes of political killings in the province.
The unit investigates unresolved politically motivated murders that have plagued KwaZulu-Natal for years.
Masemola announced plans to establish a similar unit for Gauteng province within four weeks. He said the team would include officers from across the country.
“For such a team to be successful, it needs to be integrated with members coming from the whole country,” Masemola told reporters.
Mchunu was placed on special leave pending the commission’s investigation. Ramaphosa appointed Cachalia as acting minister on August 1.
Cachalia said he was committed to maintaining police service integrity during what he called a difficult time for the organization.
“I have requested the National Commissioner to submit his report without further delay,” Cachalia said.
The controversy has raised questions about political influence over criminal investigations in South Africa’s police service.
