Mkhwanazi believes Mchunu was advised to disband political killings task team

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, believes the decision taken to disband the political killings task team is suspicious.

Mkhwanazi testified at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria on Wednesday afternoon and told evidence leaders that he strongly believes that someone advised Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to disband the political killings task team.

He said that the decision followed work the task team was carrying out in Gauteng, assisting organised crime in a murder case, on request by Crime Intelligence boss, Dumisani Khumalo.

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Mkhwanazi concluded his testimony for Wednesday and will resume on Thursday.

Mkhwanazi said he had evidence, which may be required to be dealt with in-camera, that supported his allegations that Mchunu was influenced by "associates who are part of a criminal syndicate" in taking the decision to disband the political killings task team.

He said the political killings task team was one of many task teams in the country and for Mchunu to isolate them and classify their work "as having no value" was suspicious.

"In his own words, I think it will be on the record of Parliament, where the minister said he had an engagement with the president about this decision he had taken, and that’s why he stands by his decision. Which then is very strange because the national commissioner did not receive anything to counter that."

Mkhwanazi claims he was in KZN with Mchunu just days before the letter was issued for the disbandment of the task team on 31 December and at no time did the topic of the task team come up, which he found strange.

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