Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, currently on special leave of absence, has vehemently denied any knowledge of the Political Killings Task Team’s (PKTT) raid on the residence of Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, an individual accused of being a member of a drug cartel and facing attempted murder charges. The raid took place in December of the previous year.
Mchunu addressed the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System on Tuesday, where he asserted that he was never briefed about the operation.
"At no stage during my orientation or briefings was I informed of any operation resembling the event described," Mchunu stated. "I'm jumping now to December 2024. At no stage was I briefed about that. No briefing was given to me about any arrest, operations, or technical deployment involving NPKTT during December."
Mchunu explained that his initial focus upon assuming the portfolio was primarily on organisational structures, governance, and systemic issues within the police force.
The raid on Matlala’s house occurred on December 6, 2024. The PKTT was searching for Jerry Boshoga, a Centurion farmer who had gone missing in November of that year. Police suspected that Matlala might possess information that could assist in locating Boshoga, who remains missing.
According to Witness C, who testified before the commission, a white sheet featured in one of the ransom videos was found manually hung at Matlala’s home, specifically in a room used by a general worker.
Mchunu’s denial comes amidst allegations that he attempted to disband the PKTT to protect criminal networks with which he is accused of having links. He issued the directives to disband the team on New Year’s Eve last year.
The controversy surrounding the disbandment deepened when Brown Mogotsi, described as an information peddler, forwarded the letter to Matlala. WhatsApp messages presented to the committee revealed that Mogotsi informed Matlala that the team that had raided his house was no longer in operation.
These messages were retrieved from Matlala’s phone during the search and seizure operation. Both Mogotsi and Matlala have denied sharing some of the messages.
Last week, Matlala told the Parliamentary Ad Hoc committee that some of the WhatsApp messages attributed to him were not genuine. He claimed his phone was used after his arrest in May. And he suggested that someone might have accessed it to create misleading conversations.
The decision to disband the team sparked a significant dispute in late 2024 and 2025, leading to a parliamentary Ad Hoc committee inquiry and the Madlanga Commission. Both are investigating allegations of police corruption and interference following concerns raised by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Mchunu defended his decision by stating that a 2019 work study had recommended the disestablishment of the PKTT. The study suggested incorporating its functions into a murder and robbery unit.
He also emphasised that the PKTT was not intended to be a permanent structure due to budgetary constraints. He added that the team had no specific budget from its inception.
Mchunu further stated that even the SAPS National Commissioner Fannie Masemola had informed him and his two deputy ministers that the PKTT was not a formal unit but rather an interim task team.
According to Mchunu, the PKTT was established due to political intervention stemming from concerns about the rising number of political killings, rather than through the constitutional authority of the national commissioner. As such, he believes its existence is politically time-bound.
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