Ramaphosa Denies Role in Disbanding Political Killings Unit Amid Claims of Ministerial Capture in South Africa

President Ramaphosa denies role in disbanding the PKTT as South African police leadership alleges ministerial capture and interference in murder probes.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 18, 2026, 4:18 PM EDT

Source: Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa, SAPS, Senzo Mchunu, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, political killings, corruption, Fannie Masemola, PKTT, Big Five cartel

Presidential Disavowal of Task Team Dissolution

President Cyril Ramaphosa has formally distanced himself from the controversial decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team, or PKTT, asserting that the move occurred without his prior knowledge or authorization. In written testimony submitted to a parliamentary ad hoc committee, the President expressed sharp dissatisfaction with the conduct of suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. Ramaphosa clarified that he only became aware of the directive in February 2025 through the national police commissioner, who had been instructed by the minister to shut down the unit. The President maintained that such operational decisions reside strictly within the authority of the national commissioner rather than the political executive, signaling a major rift within the country's security leadership.

Allegations of Ministerial Capture and Digital Footprints

The parliamentary inquiry took an explosive turn as KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged that the suspended minister did not act alone. Mkhwanazi testified that forensic evidence suggests the minister was captured into drafting the disbandment letter, which investigators reportedly recovered from the minister’s personal tablet after it had been deleted. According to Mkhwanazi, the document was circulated through private email addresses and equipped with an electronic signature before being distributed to senior police leadership. The commissioner’s testimony implies a calculated effort to bypass official channels and suggests that the directive was authored by external influences seeking to derail specific criminal probes.

Operational Resistance From Police Leadership

Despite the ministerial directive to dissolve the task team, National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola informed the President that he initially resisted the order to protect ongoing investigations. Masemola testified that he disagreed with the minister’s instruction, arguing that an immediate shutdown would compromise sensitive cases currently before the courts. The commissioner revealed that the disbandment order was abruptly sent via a messaging application during a period of high intensity holiday safety operations, leaving senior staff in a state of confusion. This lack of formal consultation has been characterized by police leadership as a breac...