Top cop Masemola says he never agreed with Mchunu's order to disband PKTT

Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola says he never agreed with the disbanding of the political killings task team, adding that  Minister Senzo Mchunu failed to provide a good reason.

He said that the directive by Mchunu took him and others in police leadership by surprise, including KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who called him to complain.

Masemola praised the task team, saying it was doing exceptional work before the directive from Mchunu.

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Masemola was giving testimony before Parliament’s ad hoc committee probing police corruption on Thursday.

Most of Masemola’s testimony on Thursday focused on the political killings task team and Mchunu's decision to disband it.

He said the manner in which the disbanding was done was suspicious and could have been done differently.

But Masemola said he had no choice but to follow orders.

"Firstly, I don’t agree with the disbandment. I don’t know why it is being done. This directive is not a request, it’s something that I must do and I don’t know what is behind it."

Masemola said he supported the continuation of the task team, especially with local government elections next year to deter any further political killings in hotspots like KwaZulu-Natal.