Gauteng announces plans to form political killings task team

JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng has announced plans to establish a police political killings task team.

The team will be tasked with looking into politically related deaths from as far back as 2010.

KwaZulu-Natal is currently the only province with such a task team that was formed on the recommendation of the Moerane Commission, which identified the province as the country’s hotbed for political killings.

Speaking during a media briefing on Wednesday, Gauteng Premier Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said resource planning is under way, with the acting police minister and the finalisation of the terms of reference.

“This initiative represents a significant step forward, bolstering the fight against political violence and the Government of Provincial Unity supports all these initiatives to ensure there is peace and political tolerance in our province.

“We want to argue that within this political task team, issues related to taxi violence and the leadership of the taxi industry - that have been killed in our province - should not be excluded.”