Police Minister Senzo Mchunu is set to return to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria on Friday, a day after facing rigorous questioning over his decision to dissolve the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) in KwaZulu-Natal.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Mchunu came under sustained pressure from the commission’s chairperson, retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, who challenged him on the rationale and process behind the abrupt disbandment.
Several witnesses have asserted that Mchunu failed to consult key stakeholders before issuing the directive, a claim that has hovered over the inquiry since its early stages.
Mchunu currently on a leave of absence attempted to clarify his instruction, arguing that his use of the word “immediately” has been misunderstood. He told the commission that the directive should be read in the context of two accompanying instructions he gave to National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola.
According to Mchunu, he first tasked General Masemola with preparing a preliminary report on the PKTT. The second instruction, he said, was for the commissioner to convene a meeting with deputy ministers and senior executives to deliberate on the recommendation.
The minister is expected to continue his testimony on Friday as the commission probes the events surrounding the controversial disbandment and its impact on investigations into political violence in the province.