ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has weighed in on the escalating row between Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, defending the minister’s decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team.
According to Mbalula, the disbandment was carried out with a stated reason, and notably, no official objections or concerns were raised at the time. “The minister acted within his mandate,” Mbalula said. “There was no noise, no query—until yesterday’s sudden public outburst.”
Mbalula’s comments come after Mkhwanazi’s explosive briefing, in which the commissioner alleged that the task team was deliberately dismantled to protect politically connected individuals involved in assassination networks. The commissioner claimed that over 120 sensitive case files were removed, undermining years of investigative progress.
Mbalula maintained that the ANC takes the allegations seriously, but cautioned against what he called “trial by media”, urging due process and formal investigation. “We will not ignore what has been said,” he affirmed, “but let’s get the facts in the right forum.”
The Political Killings Task Team had been central to investigating a series of high-profile assassinations in KwaZulu-Natal—many believed to be politically motivated. Its sudden disbandment has now become a flashpoint in a wider crisis of trust within South Africa’s policing leadership.
As pressure mounts on Ramaphosa to act, Mbalula’s remarks suggest that the ANC leadership is moving carefully, balancing loyalty to Mchunu with growing public demand for accountability.
