Durban – KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi dropped a bombshell this week, claiming political meddling led to the disbandment of a successful task team investigating political killings. This follows the team’s discovery of ties to high-ranking politicians, including serving ministers.
The Commissioner explained that the task team, initially formed in July 2018 with backing from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), State Security, and Coral Services, had been making significant strides. Working from KwaZulu-Natal, its mandate extended to presidential intervention projects, such as the murders of traditional leaders in the province and the killings at the University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape.
Since its creation, the team had looked into 612 dockets, including murders, attempted murders, intimidation, and conspiracy to commit murder. These efforts resulted in 436 arrests, with 156 firearms recovered, 55 of which were forensically linked to politically motivated cases. They even arrested 35 SAPS members, one now in prison for a murder involving a parliamentarian. Overall, 128 accused individuals were found guilty in 106 cases, leading to 29 life sentences and numerous other long prison terms, adding up to a total of 1,81 years of imprisonment.
However, on March 26, 2025, a shocking 121 active case dockets were reportedly taken from the task team. Mkhwanazi stated that Deputy National Commissioner Crime Detection, Lieutenant General Sibiya, ordered the removal of these dockets under direct instructions from the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu. This, Mkhwanazi says, happened without his or the national commissioner’s knowledge. These critical dockets have since been sitting at head office in Pretoria, with no further investigation, even though five of them already had warrants for perpetrators’ arrests.
Mkhwanazi asserted that the real reason for the disbandment wasn’t their work in KwaZulu-Natal, but rather their successful operations in Gauteng. Ten members of the political killings task team were sent to help the Gauteng organized crime unit dismantle a syndicate operating across South Africa and in neighboring countries. This investigation, Mkhwanazi revealed, exposed a criminal network involving serving politicians in parliament, law enforcement officers (SAPS, metro police, and correctional services), prosecutors, and even members of the judiciary, all allegedly controlled by a powerful drug cartel and influential business people in Gauteng.
More was revealed from the electronic communications of Vusi Muzi, also known as Kat Matlala, who was arrested on May 14, 2025, for triple attempted murder. Matlala, who secured a E360 million police contract in 2024, reportedly had extensive communication with Brown Mokgotsi, described by Mkhwanazi as a close associate of Minister Mchunu, and with the Minister himself. Messages from Mokgotsi to Matlala on January 1, 2025 – the day after the Minister’s disbandment letter was issued on December 31, 2024 – clearly stated, “The task team that came to your house and harassed you have been dissolved. They got the letter on Monday. As we speak, they are bringing all docket to Spear.” This strongly suggests advance knowledge of the disbandment.
Analysis of these chats also reportedly points to Matlala financially supporting the Minister and Mokgotsi’s political activities, with evidence of payments for travel and a dinner in Cape Town in 2025. On January 2, 2025, Matlala received a copy of the disbandment letter from Mokgotsi, the same person the Minister initially denied knowing in Parliament but later confirmed was his “comrade from Northwest” in a phone conversation posted on X on March 30, 2025.
The drama continued when Matlala’s contract was cancelled by the National Commissioner on May 13, 2025. The following day, Matlala allegedly messaged Mokgotsi, threatening to take his screenshots of conversations to the media and court because he felt ignored and that promises were broken.
On May 30, 2025, the Investigative Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) requested and downloaded the contents of Matlala’s cell phone. Then, on June 25, 2025, the project coordinator of the political killings task team was arrested by IDAC. The very next day, June 26, 2025, Katiso KT MF, an accused arrested by the now-compromised task team, was granted bail.
Mkhwanazi warned that the work of the organized crime unit, helped by the political killings task team, has been seriously compromised. He insists the disbandment was a direct result of the team’s uncovering of criminal syndicates involving members of the criminal justice system in Gauteng, rather than their work in KwaZulu-Natal.
Despite these significant hurdles and attempts to disrupt its operations, the political killings task team remains active, Mkhwanazi confirmed. The SAPS is now launching a criminal investigation into the alleged infiltration and control of the criminal justice system by organized crime.
Adding another layer to the scandal, Mkhwanazi revealed that members of Crime Intelligence in KwaZulu-Natal gave classified documents, including vetting information and details of covert properties, to a Member of Parliament. This MP then opened a criminal case in Gauteng, claiming fraudulent vetting clearance certificates for some Crime Intelligence officials. The Minister of Police’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Kabinde, then directed IDAC to investigate these cases, raising questions about IDAC’s real purpose.
Mkhwanazi also spoke about an unusual “peace talk” arranged by Minister Mchunu between himself and Lieutenant General Sibiya at the Minister’s official residence in Pretoria. Mkhwanazi stated, “Surely there can never be peace between a criminal and the police officer.”
The Commissioner also expressed concern about the lack of leadership within Crime Intelligence, both provincially and nationally, due to the Minister’s suspension of vacancy fillings since December 31. This, he argued, makes it harder to infiltrate syndicates. Mkhwanazi also questioned a magistrate’s ruling that prevented arrested Crime Intelligence members from entering any Crime Intelligence premises, effectively stopping their work. He also voiced concerns about the appointment of a retired Crime Intelligence member, Mr. Paday, as a lead investigator in IDAC with no apparent qualifications or investigative experience, yet given full access to Crime Intelligence premises.
In a powerful call to action, Mkhwanazi stated that fighting organized crime remains a top priority. He called upon all law enforcement personnel and citizens to stand up and protect the police badge, declaring, “I will die for this badge. I will die for them. So I will fight this fight until the end.” He acknowledged that in the face of such deep-rooted corruption, sometimes “law can stand on the way to achieve justice. We must choose justice.”
Watch full briefing below
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