Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said on Friday he briefed President Cyril Ramaphosa and was in agreement with his decision to disband the Political Killing Task Team (PKTT).

Mchunu said the short briefing with Ramaphosa that took place sometime in January or February this year.

“I sought an appointment and it was granted at a particular time and I went to brief him,” he said.

Mchunu was giving evidence on his second day of appearing at the parliamentary inquiry probing the allegations made by KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi at a press briefing on July 6 when he accused him of political interference in police operations.

The inquiry was established to probe the unlawful dissolution of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), the freezing of filling vacancies within Crime Intelligence and alleged corruption by senior leaders in SAPS, public and political interference in the work of the police.

In his testimony, Mchunu said the purpose of the briefing was to brief Ramaphosa on his decision to disband the PKTT.

“I did say there are matters I have developed very serious concern. I said to him these matters, among others, have led me to disband the PKTT and that possibly at some time if I did not do it, there may be calls for a commission on those matters.

“I decided I would preempt any need for such a call at some point and that is one of the things I mentioned during the short briefing,” he said.

Asked if he had furnished Ramaphosa with reasons and any reports, Mchunu said reports were not included in the discussion.

“It was just a briefing. I asked for a slot to give him a briefing and I did so.”

Chief evidence leader, Advocate Norman Arendse, SC, noted that Mchunu had merely communicated to Ramaphosa what he had done.

In response, the minister said he included briefly what the reasons could have been for his decision.

“It was not an elaborate kind of presentation and discussion. It was a briefing (to say) that I have taken that decision.”

Mchunu had told the Portfolio Committee on Police that he had briefed Ramaphosa and he was in agreement with his decision.

However, Mkhwanazi in his testimony to the inquiry, said that he was never told that Ramaphosa was unhappy with PKTT and that he had at a media briefing in the Northern Cape praised the team for doing the good job.

“It makes me believe the president was not even aware of what the minister decided,” Mkhwanazi had said.

Masemola testified to the inquiry that when he had informed Ramaphosa about Mchunu’s directive, he was taken aback by the minister’s decision.

Arendse put it to Mchunu that he had merely briefed the president, who just noted what he had told him.

ANC MP Xola Nqola pointed out that Mkhwanazi had cast doubt that Ramaphosa agreed with the dissolution of the PKTT after he had applauded it for the work it has done when he addressed the media in the Northern Cape.

When pressed by EFF leader Julius Malema, Mchunu said: “The answer in the affidavit is that I briefed the president. He agreed with the briefing I gave him.”

After he was cagey when pressed whether his answer was yes, Arendse, who questioned if Mchunu and Ramaphosa had reached an agreement during their short discussion on PKTT disbandment, stated that Mchunu had told the portfolio committee that he had a discussion with the president and they were in agreement.

“Members can draw their own conclusions and ask questions. My job is to put the facts to the honourable committee and that is what I asked and that is context when I asked you,” he added.

Responding to a question from Arendse, Mchunu said he was unaware that Masemola had a discussion with Ramaphosa on the PKTT after he issued his directive in December 2024.

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za

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