By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Deputy Commissioner of Policing Visibility Lt General Tebello Mosikili says directive to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) was confusing and left her surprised, causing her to question its authenticity due to the letter’s tone, timing, and dates.
On Tuesday, Mosikili appeared before the Parliament Ad Hoc Committee investigating corruption and malfeasance in the South Africa’s criminal justice system.
Mosikili said the letter was sent during the festive season police visibility campaign and that suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu never mentioned plans to disband the task team during the exercise.
“At the time it was when we were at the apex of the festive season … Therefore, a week prior to the 31st, myself, the national commissioner of the South African Police Service [Fannie Masemola] and the minister of police [Mchunu], we were clubbed together to visit three provinces,” she told legislators on the committee.
The campaign visited the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and ended in KwaZulu-Natal before they “parted ways with the minister on the 28th”, she said.
Two days later, when she was back in Pretoria, Mosikili learnt about Mchunu’s sudden letter and had to respond to it while overseeing the visibility campaign which had moved to Gauteng. She said the timing of the letter was suspect as it coincided with Masemola’s leave and during a busy festive season campaign.
“I only became aware of the email on the 2nd of January when I was back at the office,” she said, adding that she received a media query from the spokesperson to respond to the letter seen on social media. Once the letter was confirmed as official, Mosikili said she took time to study it.
“To be honest and frank, I became confused. I was unsure, I was also surprised and I questioned the authenticity of the directive as I could not believe the content, and precisely because of the tone of the letter, “she said.
“For me it was unexpected, and in particular, [with] the nation commissioner we had discussions on matters to attend to, and the date was just too close from the time that the national commissioner was to start the leave…”
“And I took time to interrogate, looking at various other issues that this directive will have, how it was conveyed, and I think, most importantly the fact that it already leaked to the media when we have not yet dealt with the matter internally.”
Mosikili said while task teams faced challenges in intervening with provincial policing, they would continue to form a significant part of police operations in the long-term.
Mosikili has also denied that she allowed private investigator, Paul O’Sullivan, to infiltrate the criminal justice system.
She said she got to know about O’Sullivan when he dropped files at her office, involving the case of convicted organised crime boss, Czech fugitive Radovan Krejčíř.
But she told MPs that O’Sullivan did not get preferential treatment from her.
“I don’t think for a person to come and share info, is untoward if you don’t know where he is coming from … or if he or she is not doing anything wrong. Any person will be listened to …. that is what happened. I can put my head on the block, with the 38 years’ service I have, I have been assisting people,” she explained.
Mosikili acknowledged corrupt police officials but has not been able to confirm the infiltration of SAPS by drug cartels.
Mosikili emphasised her seniority and involvement in SAPS leadership, noting she has stepped in as Acting National Commissioner eleven times, including during the period the directive was issued.