PKTT
1Min
South Africa
Nov 5, 2025
Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo told the Madlanga Commission he was not consulted before former police minister Senzo Mchunu disbanded the Political Killing Task Team. He said the decision came as a surprise, leaving members worried and feeling undervalued, and noted it may be linked to a 2024 internal management dispute.
The head of Crime Intelligence, Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo, told the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria on Wednesday that he was not consulted before former police minister Senzo Mchunu decided to disband the Political Killing Task Team (PKTT).
Khumalo said the decision came as a surprise, as he had not been given an opportunity to brief the ministry or respond to any concerns.
“I had never been given an opportunity to brief the ministry. I’ve never received any complaints or signs of unhappiness. I was never consulted. When the letter was drafted and finalised, it came as a surprise even to myself,” he said.
The PKTT was established in 2018 to investigate politically motivated killings. On December 31, Mchunu sent a directive to national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola instructing him to “immediately” disestablish the task team and to submit a preliminary report by January 20, followed by a final report later in the month.
Khumalo said he became aware of the letter when it started circulating on social media on January 1.
“From my personal perspective, it was not a happy New Year’s Day because I had to receive calls from more than 110 members asking the same question. Unfortunately, I could not answer them because communication of that nature would normally come through me or my office,” he said.
He also commented on the tone of the letter, saying it caused concern among some task team members.
“Most of them were worried about the language used, asking how they could sacrifice and leave their families for years, only to be told that they are valueless,” Khumalo said.
He said that although the letter was not addressed directly to him, some of the matters it raised fell within his responsibilities as the Divisional Commissioner of Crime Intelligence and project leader of the PKTT.
Khumalo told the commission he had tried to understand what led to the decision. He said one possible reason may have been linked to an internal disagreement in 2024, when the Crime Intelligence Division advertised senior management positions.
He explained that after he submitted a proposed selection panel for the recruitment process, a deputy national commissioner submitted a different one without consulting him. The disagreement resulted in a stalemate, which delayed the appointments.
