Deputy Police Minister Cassel Mathale is appearing before Parliament’s ad hoc committee on Tuesday and Wednesday amid ongoing investigations into allegations of criminal infiltration, corruption, and political interference within South Africa’s criminal justice system.
The committee was established following a whistleblower complaint made in July by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who raised serious concerns about corruption and undue political influence that were undermining the integrity of the police service.
Mathale, who has served as Deputy Minister of Police since 2019 under former Police Minister Bheki Cele, will be the sixth witness to provide testimony.
Parliamentarians anticipate that Mathale will provide critical insight into the controversial disbandment of the Police Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), a specialised unit investigating politically motivated murders.
The PKTT’s dissolution has become a focal point of the committee’s probe into politically sensitive policing decisions.
The unit was reportedly disbanded by suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who is currently suspended and on special leave.
However, conflicting statements from senior police officials have muddied the narrative.
Last week, former police Minister Bheki Cele testified that no formal decision to disband the PKTT was ever finalized during his tenure.
In contrast, Mchunu submitted that the decision to disband was made before his appointment but had not been implemented until recently.
Committee members are expected to interrogate Mathale on his awareness of any directives related to the PKTT’s disbandment and how he has interacted with Minister Mchunu amid these contentious developments.
Additionally, deputies will seek to corroborate accounts given by National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola and Mchunu themselves.
The committee’s scrutiny intensified after Cele’s candid appearance last Friday, where he openly criticised Mchunu’s decision to dismantle the PKTT.
Cele argued that the task team played an irreplaceable role in addressing politically motivated killings and questioned why similar specialised units for crimes such as kidnapping and extortion remained operational.
“Kidnapping and extortion are relatively new and specialised crimes requiring dedicated task teams and resources. If these task teams are operational necessities, why was it only the PKTT that was singled out for disbandment?” Cele challenged the committee.
The controversy deepened following revelations from Mchunu two weeks ago, who cited a 2019 Work Study report as part of the rationale behind disbanding the PKTT.
Cele countered that the rationale was flawed and suggested that National Police Commissioner Masemola had been too “soft” in managing the issue.
As the parliamentary committee continues its investigations, Mathale’s testimony is seen as pivotal in untangling the complex web of decisions that have raised concerns about the politicisation of law enforcement agencies and the broader implications for justice and security in South Africa.
Politics
