National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has confirmed that he approved KZN police boss Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s July 2025 media briefing.
Image: Henk Kruger/Independent Media
National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola told Parliament on Tuesday that he approved KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s explosive media briefing on July 6, 2025, and did not anticipate the explosive claims that followed.
Masemola was appearing before an ad hoc committee established to examine allegations against him and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
He is expected to address issues raised during earlier hearings.
He reiterated his earlier testimony regarding the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), saying suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu had overstepped his authority by ordering the unit’s dissolution.
Masemola said he had approved Mkhwanazi’s request to brief the public on the work of the PKTT, but not to present his own findings.
“Remember, I said he asked to go and brief on the work of the PKTT, and I said yes, proceed on that, but not on my report,” Masemola told the committee.
He said he had already informed President Cyril Ramaphosa about preliminary discoveries before the president departed for Brazil, but had not yet compiled a formal report.
“I told the president we have this discovery. He asked if I had a report, and I said no. I would prepare it and brief him when he returned,” Masemola said.
According to Masemola, Mkhwanazi indicated he would focus on the work of the PKTT. However, the briefing expanded beyond that scope.
Advocate Norman Arendse SC, leading evidence, referred to the presentation delivered during the briefing.
It outlined the PKTT’s background, achievements and challenges, including the removal of 121 case dockets on March 26 under instructions from suspended deputy national commissioner for crime detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Siboya.
The dockets were reportedly transferred to SAPS headquarters in Pretoria without the authority of either the national or provincial commissioner.
The presentation also described what it termed the “orchestrated demise” of the PKTT, suggesting its disbandment was linked to its success in uncovering a criminal syndicate allegedly involving members of the criminal justice system in Gauteng.
It further stated that a criminal investigation had been launched into possible infiltration and control of the justice system by organised crime.
Masemola said he had not anticipated the full extent of these disclosures.
“In the press conference, you would have seen the presentation start with the work of the PKTT. That’s how far it was going to go,” he said.
“He went overboard with everything.”
Arendse also questioned Masemola about references to an alleged “Big Five” criminal syndicate.
Masemola confirmed he knew two of the individuals named publicly - Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and Katiso “KT” Molefe - but declined to identify the remaining three.
“It is not the right time to disclose names. We are still conducting an investigation. We will disclose them at the appropriate time,” he said.
He added that the investigation is being handled by Gauteng Crime Intelligence operations.
Previous testimony by SAPS crime intelligence head Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo has also linked Matlala and Molefe to a drug-trafficking network allegedly embedded within political, law enforcement and private security structures.
Matlala is facing attempted murder charges and was previously awarded a R360m police health services contract that has since been terminated.
Molefe has been implicated in the 2022 killing of musician Oupa Sefoka, widely known as DJ Sumbody, who was shot dead in Gauteng.
The committee continues.
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
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