By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed dissatisfaction at the decision taken by the National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola for returning 121 political killings dockets to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
The move has sparked outrage, with critics warning it could undermine the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which is tasked with investigating corruption and political interference within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Masemola has issued a directive during the Interpol Regional Conference in Cape Town, that the case files that were seized will be returned to the KZN Political Killings Task Team.
On Friday, 29 August 2025, acting police minister Firoz Cachalia issued a media statement outlining his concerns about Masemola’s actions relating to KZN’s Political Killings Task Team.
Cachalia said he was concerned that decisions were taken regarding the Political Killings Task Team before the judicial commission of inquiry had a chance to investigate the issues surrounding the Task Team.
“I recognise that the allegations made in relation to the Political Killings Task Team are of immense public interest. The Political Killings Task Team is at the centre of the allegations made by the Provincial Commissioner and will be dealt with by the Commission.
“It is a concern therefore that steps are being taken in relation to this matter before the Commission has had a chance to investigate the issues surrounding the Task Team. I have requested the National Commissioner to submit his report without further delay,” he said.
The SAPS scandal began erupting when KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi held a press conference and made a series of astounding allegations.
Among his broad allegations was that a drug cartel headquartered in Gauteng was controlling a high-level criminal syndicate that extended into the state, including the SAPS.
Mkhwanazi also made accusations against individuals, including deputy national commissioner of crime detection Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya and Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, now placed on special leave as a result of this saga.
Among the accusations was that at the end of last year, Mchunu issued a directive to disband the political killings task team in KZN.
Ramaphosa has now entered the fray, expressing his displeasure to Cachalia, at the action taken by Masemola.
Presidency confirmed that Ramaphosa had alerted Cachalia to his feelings about Masemola’s decision.
“The President views it as imprudent for the leadership of SAPS to start tinkering with areas and/or issues that are contained in the allegations made by Lt General Mkwanazi, which are now a subject of inquiry by the Madlanga Commission,” Presidency said, “notwithstanding the argument that can be posited that it was an administrative action. The fact is, this is no ordinary matter or exercise of administrative powers.
“This is a matter that is now going to be a subject of the commission’s investigation. The President expects the leadership of SAPS to cooperate with the Minister and the commission in safeguarding the integrity of the work of the commission.”
The inquiry was given three months to submit an interim report to the president, and six months to file a final report on its findings however it has since been postponed and said it would only set a new starting date once all infrastructure requirements have been fully met.